Light in the dark
by islandgirl33
Summary: "What changed your mind?" ...Surviving alone together after the prison, Beth and Daryl slowly grow closer, realizing there can be some light in the world for them. AU at the funeral home, where Daryl doesn't get interrupted in the kitchen and Beth doesn't get kidnapped. How will it change things and how will they survive together? Future chapters will be M!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – This is the first time I have written for this show and the first time I have written anything for a very long time. But I just can't get enough of these two at the moment, and after recently watching season 4, I wanted to write a little more to their journey together after leaving the prison. I plan to take it in a slightly different direction to the show and explore what could have happened if Beth hadn't been taken. Will be rated T/M for some hot action in future chapters ;) Please let me know what you think and if you would like to read more.**

Hugging her knees to her chest, leaning in slightly closer towards the bright orange light of the small crackling fire in front of her. Beth finally allowed herself to breathe again.

Slowly and deeply.

Feeling her tense muscles reluctantly relax. They were safe. For now. But she was scared.

Once a sweet, homely and somewhat sheltered country girl, Beth was now no stranger to roughing it, to being on the road and surviving with next to nothing under some pretty grim conditions.

But being homeless on the road before, Beth had always had her dad there too and Maggie, along with Rick and the rest of the group to look out for her. This time it was different.

...

The past day had gone by in a blur. Beth had focused on one thing, survival. Somehow she had managed to get away from the flames and devastation of the prison. The place she had grown to think of as home for the past year of her life.

But now as the night drew in, the woods finally quiet. The sound of the dead diminishing. Beth allowed herself, just for a moment, the luxury of self pity. The chance to take it all in. Everything and everyone she had ever known was gone now. Well almost everyone.

She glanced across at the hunched dark figure sat opposite her. Watched his expressionless eyes staring in to space, it was like she was invisible to him. Beth had always prided herself on being able to read people, to sense what they were feeling. But with him, she had absolutely no idea what was going on in his head, what he was feeling. He was an enigma.

If she was completely honest Beth had been numb to her own feelings even, ever since Daryl had grabbed her arm and led her away from the burning prison, shielding her from the darkness erupting all around them. In a strange way escaping with him at that moment in time had felt like the most natural thing in the world to her.

Up until that moment Beth had been desperate to find baby Judith and make sure she was safe. But from the instant Daryl had appeared, signalling for her to follow him. Beth had felt as though somehow it would be okay.

The whole world might have gone to shit again, but as long as she was with him, _she would be okay!_

But now, looking across at his still lifeless silhouette, unable to make even the slightest eye contact with her, Beth wasn't so sure.

Despite his dark mood, Beth had tried to cling on to any small piece of optimism. She knew, somehow they'd cheated death again. She owed it to herself and everyone that she had lost, to keep pushing on, to keep fighting. Until things got better, because they had to get better.

But right here, right now, with the adrenaline of the fight quickly wearing off, and nothing but a small token fire for comfort. Beth had never felt so alone, so desperate, so lost.

She missed her dad, her sister and the rest of her new survival family. She could scarcely believe she would probably never see them again.

...

Unable to bear the silence any more, Beth sighed forcefully.

She opened her mouth to say something, before thinking better of it. Instead she smoothed a strand of her silky blonde hair behind her ear in frustration. They were out here in the middle of no-where and it would be pitch black soon. Daryl looked as though he had given up, he had made no attempt to even contemplate finding the others.

She shifted her foot slightly, willing him to say something, anything, any small sign that he was there, that he gave a damn.

But nothing.

Was she that much of an irritation to him?

He couldn't even bring himself to look at her, to talk to her. He probably wished he'd got away with Michonne…or Carol, Maggie even. Anyone but her. He saw her as weak, as a problem, just another dead girl.

As they continued to sit in silence, Beth forced herself to re-trace what had just happened. _Her father was dead_, her sister possibly too. She had been terrified. Daryl had still been there, forceful and brave as as he'd grabbed her arm, ushering her away with him, saving her life.

_"We have to go, Beth_," he'd yelled at her, _"We have to go!_ He'd barely uttered a word to her since.

...

For a while now Beth had been curious about Daryl.

She had wondered what it would be like to have a proper conversation with him, one that went beyond an obligatorily nod of the head, or forced smile. To look in to his eyes, find out who he really was. There was just something about him, something that Beth hadn't been able to get out of her head.

It had all started the day Judith had been born and he'd gone out to find the formula for her, saving her precious little life. Before that Beth had just thought of Daryl as practical, brave and a valuable member of the group, but also a little moody and unapproachable. But after he had been so determined not to let Judith die needlessly, Beth had seen him in a whole new light. Becoming slightly fascinated with him. She'd wondered about his life before, who he had been. Whether he'd had a wife, kids, job. But she'd never dared to ask. He wasn't easy to talk to.

Leaning her chin on her knees slightly, Beth thought about what her Mom had always said to her. "_Be careful what you wish for..."_

How ironic that was now, she pondered. In a weird way, more recently back at the prison, Beth had almost developed a slight crush on Daryl. Not only had she been intrigued by him, but she had started to notice how handsome he was, in a rough and sexy kind of way. There was something about him, his eyes together with the way he seemed to get such a steely determined look on his face when he wanted to do something for someone he cared about.

Possibly her feelings towards him stemmed from boredom, from there not exactly being a wide selection of guys around for her to think about in that way. But Beth was a little embarrassed to think that there had been times when she had wished she could be on her own with Daryl.

But never once in her innocent fantasies had it ever been like this. Awkward, silent, uncomfortable, like he wished he could be anywhere but in her presence.

Back at the prison Beth had occasionally found herself watching Daryl from afar some days too, studying him. Despite the tough guy act, she could see that unlike his brother, he had a good heart. He was tentative and kind to people around him, she felt certain that there was an even softer side to him too, just waiting to be drawn out. Leading to further thoughts about what it would feel like to be held in his muscular arms, what he would be like as a lover even.

But Beth was under no illusion that Daryl had ever really taken much notice of her.

She knew to Daryl she was just a kid. The way he had teased her about her romance with Zach, how that had made her flush with embarrassment. Beth had cared about Zach and she was sad he was gone. But now looking back, she could see that when Daryl had come to tell her Zach hadn't made it, she was ashamed to admit, her first real emotion was relief! Relief that Daryl was still there. He'd made it back alive and he was her family, her proper family, which meant more to her than Zach, a boyfriend she had only known a short time, and a romance that despite her short term plans, Beth had always known wouldn't last.

It had also been the first time she had shared such an intimate moment with Daryl. She had instinctively flung her arms around him for comfort, a gesture she had known he hadn't been entirely comfortable with, but which had hit her with a sudden jolt of electricity all the same. Different to anything she had experienced before.

But all that felt stupid now, irrelevant. It was like a dream, from another reality. All that mattered now was staying alive another day. And looking at Daryl's cold, hardened face, Beth knew she would switch being alone with him here and now, to being distanced and invisible to him back at the prison again, in a heartbeat.

Daryl's depressed indifference was driving Beth close to the edge. So much that her no crying rule was nearly broken as she fought back the urge to shed a tear. She had to look for alternatives to keep herself going she thought, she could not simply lock away her mind and survive for the sake of surviving the way Daryl did. There had to be something more.

Quickly brushing thoughts of giving in and crying away. Beth felt a small tickling on her forearm. Looking down to her astonishment she saw a ladybug gracefully moving across her pale skin. Ladybugs were considered a good omen, she had always been fond of them, so much so that she had even put a drawing up of one on the wall in her prison room. They signified love, luck or protection. Letting the small brightly coloured insect crawl over her, Beth pondered its symbolic significance some more. She thought about how Daryl had ended up there for her during her times of doubt recently, and she knew no matter how infuriated and despondent she was with him right now, she was glad he was here, she would be lost without him.

Her mind then wandered to her father's insight, she thought about what he would be doing if he was still here. He wouldn't allow them to just give up, and she wouldn't allow Daryl to just give up either. Beth had to believe there was still a life worth living somewhere out of this darkness. She had to bring down Daryl's despair and give them both a reason to carry on.

"We should do something", she suddenly said forcefully.

Causing him for the first time to turn and really look at her, his deep dark blue eyes, meeting her wide brighter blue ones straight on…


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Thanks for the interest in this story so far. I haven't written for a long time, so just trying to find my groove again. I guess I am writing this mainly for myself, as I wanted to explore more to the Daryl/Beth relationship. But I would LOVE to hear what other people think too. This chapter is more from Daryl's point of view. I have never written him before, so any feedback would be appreciated. I don't necessarily plan to alternate their pov's but thought it would be interesting to start.**

...

_"I don't cry any more, Daryl..." _Daryl wasn't quite sure why those words kept echoing around in his head, why they bothered him so much still.

But ever since Beth had uttered them to him back at the prison, right after he'd broken the news to her about her boyfriend being dead, they'd stayed with him. It just didn't seem right. She should cry.

But to Daryl, it was just another symbol of how things had changed, how dark the world had become now.

Daryl hadn't realised it at first either, but it was also a symbol of how he had changed. He wasn't the uncaring jackass he'd thought he'd been before the outbreak. He cared about people now and he'd wanted Beth to cry. Because she was young and innocent, and her boyfriend had just died a horrible death, and because crying and showing emotion for things like that, was just how it should be.

...

They had been walking for hours, with no real purpose or place to go. The woods were starting to all look the same, in Daryl's half hearted attempt to track, the trails on the ground were leading no-where fast. He felt as thought they were trapped in a long dark tunnel, with no sign of any light. But he knew they had to keep going. What choice did they have?

Although, if he was honest, Daryl had absolutely no idea what he was doing. Recently, back at the prison he had always had a plan, he'd taken control on many an occasion. But right now, he had to admit defeat, there was no plan and he was far from being in control. He felt almost as though the man he had thought he had become back at the prison had slipped away, and now in yet another cruel twist of fate he was right back where he had started. Lost in the woods.

Only this time he wasn't alone. He glanced across at the young blonde walking along beside him. He had barely said a word to her all morning, he knew he should have, but he just couldn't, he simply couldn't find it in him to say anything. He'd seen the look in her eyes the night before, trying so desperately to muster up some sort of optimism or hope. She was young, she'd led a fairly sheltered life up until now and she still saw the good in people, in things, he didn't. Not now. How could he? They couldn't be more different.

Beth had wanted them to try and find the others, Maggie, Rick, Carl, Judith. She'd been persistent, spouting some shit about how they shouldn't just sit around, they had to do something. He'd wished it could be that simple. But it wasn't. He'd wanted to yell at her, to tell her straight, she weren't ever going to find em. They'd all gone. But he couldn't, he knew clinging on to that small piece of hope was the only thing keeping her going and subconsciously right now she was the only thing keeping Daryl going. So instead of shooting her down, he'd just kept his mouth shut, his eyes cold and distant.

In a strange way being stranded out here with Beth felt like a sick joke to Daryl. A constant reminder of how he had failed. He was meant to be looking out for everyone, keeping them safe, it was his new role and he had been good at it. At least he had thought he had been good at it. But he had failed and now here he was left with one of the sweetest, most innocent members of the group. With no idea what to do.

He'd known he had to act fast back at the prison, when it had all gone to shit. Beth had wanted to go back, try and find Judith. But he hadn't let her. He'd known if she went back she wouldn't have made it. Maybe he should have let her, he thought despondently as he felt her silent presence beside him, maybe he should have gone with her. What did the world have to offer her now? What did it have to offer either of them?

The way she kept giving him sideways glances, Daryl knew she expected or wanted something from him. Something he couldn't give her. Protection, leadership or just plain comfort, she was with the wrong guy, he thought. He didn't have the strength of character of Rick, or the wisdom of Hershel, or even the sheer determination and fighting spirit of Glenn or Tyrese. He was just some redneck loser, with no idea of how to really deal with people.

"We should try and find some place to stay or somethin," Beth said a little awkwardly as they walked on.

Daryl ignored her for a second, before shaking his head and replying, "Well I aint seen no motel signs round here, have you?" He knew that was a little harsh and he hated himself for a second as he caught the brief look of hurt flood her face. She didn't deserve that. She'd just lost her father and he was all she had, he knew that. But he still couldn't bring himself to be that man she wanted.

They carried on in silence. Daryl knew Beth was getting tired and weak with hunger, he was too. He had barely slept the night before, huddled by the fire. He wondered if she had either, she'd been quiet, but he still had his doubts she had really rested. He had said he would keep watch most of the night, but even when she woke and said it was her turn, he couldn't sleep easy, still instinctively keeping one eye on her.

"You keep your hand on your knife at all times, and if you see anything you yell". He'd said to her as she'd replied with a simple, "I know what I'm doing, Daryl." He knew she was tougher than she looked, but he'd still wanted to make sure all the same.

As they drudged on, they suddenly came to a fork in the road. Daryl leant down examining the marks, trying to work out which way they should turn. Just as Beth let out a small squeal and rushed towards the side of the road.

"Damn it girl, what do you want to go and make all that noise for…" Daryl muttered gruffly under his breath, as he turned his head to see her examining the branches of some bushes to the side of the track.

"Blackberries, Daryl," she exclaimed.

"Ripe and sweet too," she said excitedly turning to flash him a bright smile as he walked reluctantly over to her and she handed him one.

Lingering for a second as their eyes met, he found his arms were stuck, unable to reach out and take the small colourful fruits from her, it was like he had frozen.

Slowly, still frowning, he found himself reaching out to her to take one. The rough skin on his hands, lightly brushing her soft smooth fingers in the process and the sparkle in her eyes at that instant, brought a strange sensation over Daryl, almost like a tiny flutter. Just for a second and then it was gone. She turned her head back to the berries.

Beth was right they did taste ripe and very sweet Daryl thought as he fumbled in his back pack for something to put them in. Still unable to say anything much, he simply grunted and tapped her on the shoulder with his bandana. Leaning in closer towards her, he felt his face gently touch the back of her head. She smelled good, too good for someone that had been roughing it in the woods for the past two days. Her hair smelled like fresh apples, the skin on the back of her neck like cooked almonds. He wasn't really sure why, but in strange way it made him feel warm and safe.

Beth Greene would have been exactly type of girl Daryl would have gone for in his younger years. She was pretty, beautiful even, with her big blue eyes, light blonde hair, delicate frame and porcelain skin. She was also the type of girl that would have despised a young Daryl for the worthless redneck piece of shit he had been back then. Girls like Beth Greene wouldn't have gone near him. But that was in a different world, and however much he had been wary of Beth and the others at first, he knew now they were family. The world had changed and they were all each other had.

Daryl hadn't had much to do with Beth back at the prison either. But he'd be lying if he said he hadn't secretly kept an eye on her a lot of the time. Feeling protective. He had cared for her a lot. She had a good heart and she was strong, stronger than she realised. She had made it this far, she was a survivor and Daryl respected that. Even if he couldn't find the words to tell her.

With that brief thought, the spark quickly went out of the present moment and reality hit back. "Come on we've going to get going," he said in a low voice as Beth continued to stuff his bandana full of fruit for their journey.

...

"You know you could say something, anything," Beth said as they carried on walking.

"What's there to say?" he responded bluntly.

"I don't know?…You could finally tell me what you did before the change?" She said playfully, walking along beside him.

Daryl ignored her,"I'm guessing you were some kind of mechanic," she said, glancing sideways at his stony face.

Daryl still remained silent, getting increasingly frustrated with her. This was one conversation he didn't want to have.

Beth opened her mouth to say something else, grinning a little as Daryl just looked straight ahead with a moody scowl.

"How about we keep quiet and just focus on staying alive," he snapped eventually.

Daryl half regretted saying that, as they carried on in silence. Part of him missed the sound of her voice, even though he would never admit it.

He looked up at the sky and sighed inwardly, it was going to be dark soon. He was going to have to come up with a plan fast. Beth's footsteps were slowing down; Daryl knew he would be faster without her. He could take more risks and part of him silently wished he was on his own. He had always though of himself as a lone wolf. He didn't need anyone relying on him. That just led to trouble.

"It's going to be dark soon," Beth said in a quiet voice, echoing his fears.

Unable to respond, Daryl simply turned and walked towards the bushes.

"Where are you going?" she asked hurriedly, her eyes following him.

"Going to take a piss," he replied in a surly voice. He needed to gather his thoughts. He knew she was relying on him.

Zipping up his flies, Daryl returned to the spot he had left her. To find she wasn't there.

"Damn it, Beth," he mumbled to himself, looking around for her.

Then he heard a scream.

Looking over to the side of the road, he quickly saw she had been set upon by three walkers. She had stuck her knife in the first one, quickly pulling it out to lunge for the next, the third reaching out to grab her from behind. Instinctively, Daryl reached for his crossbow knocking out the last walker, causing it to topple directly on top of her. Knocking them both to the ground in a cloud of dust.

Daryl darted straight over to her. His heart rate speeding up, as thoughts of her being bit, rushed through him.

"You okay?" he said in a panicked voice as he knelt down beside her, taking her by the hand to pull her up.

Beth nodded as she caught her breath, "Yeah," she replied as she reached up to smooth down her ruffled hair. "Yeah, I am just fine," she repeated. But the scared look in her eyes said otherwise.

Glued to the spot, their eyes locked with an unspoken communication, as Daryl had a brief flashback to all they had been through together as a group since they had escaped the farm. He thought about how he had felt when she had hugged him the other day back at the prison taking him by surprise, and then how he had felt when their hands had touched earlier in the day. But most of all he thought about how he would have felt if he had lost her now.

Even if he didn't quite understand those feelings, one thing was clear to Daryl. He would stop at nothing to keep this girl safe. He had a purpose again and it was right here.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - Thanks for reviews they made my day. I wanted to update sooner as completely invested in this couple. But my crazy life got in the way.**

The room fell eerily silent for a second, just before the glass bottle violently hit the floor, smashing in to a thousand pieces, the sound penetrating through the walls.

Daryl had surprised himself even, with the sheer force he had used to hurl the dusty old peach snappes bottle down on to the filthy floor of the now rundown bar.

But as he stared down at the shards of glass spreading across the broken wooden floorboards, he instantly felt an immense sense of release. Just with that one simple action he had released all the pent up anger, frustration and sadness he had been holding on to since they had left the prison. Anger that the Govner had destroyed their home, frustration that he hadn't been able to do more to save it and sadness that they had lost everyone else. He knew it wasn't that easy to rid himself completely of that burden, but in that moment it was temporarily smashed to the floor along with the offending bottle.

Beth looked up with startled eyes. Her hand still trembling from the courage she had been working up to take a sip from the dusty old bottle, she'd triumphantly managed to find buried deep in the rubble of the demolished country club bar they had stumbled across.

Daryl's gaze travelled over to her. His eyes softening slightly as he said in a defiant voice, "Ain't gong to have no damn peach snappes for your first drink."

Beth had been a little scared at first, never fully witnessing Daryl's mean streak so abruptly before. But that fear had quickly turned to annoyance that he had ruined her plan. Then finally after looking at his eyes she had realised there was nothing to be mad at him for. He might act the tough guy, but his eyes gave him away. He had actually been acting out of nothing but kindness.

She had been looking for a drink all day. Daryl had wanted nothing to do with the ridiculous plan. Thinking it immature and pointless.

But seeing her sat up at the dusty dirty bar all alone, her eyes wide with apprehension as she bit her lip, looking nervously at the filthy bottle in front of her. His heart had melted slightly. As much as he had trouble showing it, he cared about Beth. She was one of his original group, she was family to him and it wasn't right that she was sat on her own in the middle of a ruined old bar about to have some nasty cheap sickly liquor for her first drink. A drink that would likely make her pretty ill in the process.

There wasn't anyone else around to look out for her now, so it was all on him, and now that he had come around to the idea, he had a plan to make the occasion more special for her.

…

"What is this place?" Beth said curiously, as Daryl led her in to a small dirty looking log cabin hidden deep in the woods.

He ignored her at first, he wasn't entirely comfortable with being there. It reminded him too much of a time in his life he would rather forget. Memories that haunted him still, even now. But he had come across it recently on a supply run, and he knew it would be fitting for the occasion.

"This, is your first drink," he said walking away from her, over to where he knew there was a shelf holding several jars of clear liquid. Taking hold of the nearest one, lifting the lid the smell instantly confirmed it could only be moonshine, a gold mine of alcohol. There was some grotesque monster wandering around out there to be thankful to for this stash, he thought to himself, as he pulled it out, setting it down on the floor in the middle of the room.

"Wow, is that _moonshine?..."_ Beth asked, staring at it with wide eyes as she set her backpack down on the floor and kneeled down in front of it. Apprehension flashing across her pretty face, as she suddenly wondered whether her mission to find a drink had really been such a good idea after all.

She'd heard stories about moonshine.

But she'd been pretty determined to find a drink, so there was no going back now she thought, reaching out to pick up a glass, her stomach twisting.

Beth had wanted something to focus on, something to keep going for. But now reality was kicking in.

_What the hell was she doing?_ She heard the voice of the girl that she used to be, saying to her.

"You…you wanna try too?..." She stammered to Daryl, after she'd take a sip, wincing at the strong overpowering taste.

She looked over to catch his eye, from where he had sunk down in to a battered armchair over to the side of the room.

"Nah, someone needs to keep watch," he mumbled in a low serious voice, avoiding her gaze as he stared directly in front of him. His relationship with alcohol was not the best and this was no time for drinking. There was danger everywhere.

"Come on, you're not going to make me drink all on my on, are ya?" Beth replied with a twinkle darting across her eyes as she lit a small candle in front of her to brighten the place up a little.

Something about the way Beth was looking at him caused Daryl's mind to wander slightly as blood rushed around his body. He knew he should keep watch, he should be the sensible one. But, maybe none of that mattered now anymore, he thought. They'd already lost pretty much everything.

What more could there be left to lose? He debated internally with himself, as he thought how he'd never asked to be her chaperone. The thought of just giving in and getting wasted out here in the middle of hell tempting him even more.

...

Beth drank some more.

She had never quite been sure what all the fuss was about when it came to alcohol. She had seen her father transform before her eyes, seen her sister puking her guts out, and her friends doing plenty of things they wished they hadn't, all because of alcohol.

But putting the cool glass to her parched lips to sip, she finally realised the appeal, as a warm glow spread across her.

The tension from earlier easing a little. The girl she used to be vanishing quickly. The world had changed and so had she.

The Beth Greene before the world went to shit, would have been too uptight, too concerned about what her parents would think, about what might happen to her, to have even contemplated having an alcoholic drink. But none of that mattered now, she could be dead soon. She wanted to have fun, while she still had the chance.

The more she drank, sipping cautiously, despite having pretty much nothing but the clothes on her back and the least talkative awkward member of their group for company, Beth felt herself relax more and more.

She wanted Daryl to have fun too.

She looked over at him, at his hardened features and the pained expression on his face. She wished he was experiencing the same slight rush from the alcohol she was. Because even though neither of them knew what the future held for them, in a funny way all that mattered was being here now, in the moment.

She didn't say anything further to him, just smiled and gestured to him with the jar of booze trying to tempt him without words.

In one quick movement Daryl reached out and took it from her, knowing he had sealed his fate then and there. Once he'd had a taste of it, there would be no stopping him, god help her.

"We should play a drinking game?" Beth suddenly exclaimed her eyes becoming slightly glazed, her lips curling up in to a playful smile as she looked across the dimly lit room at Daryl's unimpressed face.

"You aint at college now," he said with a moody scowl.

If he had needed any more proof that she was just a kid, still in her teens, this was it.

Rather than dismiss the idea entirely though he just took a long swig of the pungent liquor in his hands. It was good. He had forgotten just how good.

"We could play, _'never have I ever',_ I say, I've never and then you drink if you have…" Beth explained, her voice upbeat and excitable, glancing at him in more anticipation.

Daryl's lips twitched in to a smirk. Something about the sweetness to her voice was causing him to let his guard down slightly. Remaining silent, his body language allowed her to carry on.

"I'll start..Ive never been drunk before," Beth said quickly, "Never even had a drink, not even on vacation."

Daryl raised his eyebrows. "Seriously?"

Taking the opportunity to drink some more. He thought how his upbringing couldn't have been further from the sheltered one Beth had led.

Suddenly at that moment everything got to him again, feelings he'd tried to keep at bay flooding back as he remembered the life he used to lead, the world in which he'd grown up in.

He wiped his mouth, the alcohol clouding his judgement some what, raising his voice he said, "Well, I've never been on vacation, in fact guess what I've never been out of Georgia before, never had a family to take care of me either, or a birthday party or a damn pony…" watching her intently to see her reaction at his cutting words.

Beth looked at the cold expression on Daryl's face, full of anger, hate even. Just when she thought he was softening slightly, he flipped right back to being a jerk. Did he really think she cared about who he used to be? Did he really think that the people either of them had been before all of this, even mattered now? She was certainly under no illusion that he had been a saint before. But here, now, he was strong and brave and decisive, he had taken control when there was no-one else. He had put others before himself, he had a good heart and he had saved all their asses, hers on more than one occasion.

In Beth's eyes _he was a rock star._ One day she would tell him that. One day.

"You want the truth, you got the truth, princess," he went on to say. Attempting to provoke her some more as she remained silent.

"I ain't no spoilt princess," she finally replied bluntly, matching his tone of voice. He might think she judged him, but he was judging her just as much.

He wanted her to push him away, but she wouldn't do that, no matter how hard he tried to make her.

An awkward silence followed.

Digging her fingernails in to her palm, unsure of how he would react Beth finally said, "I've never made a girl cry."

Daryl shook his head slightly, he might be a tough nut to crack but so was she, he thought, as he drank slowly.

"I've never been to church on a Sunday," he said, causing Beth to breathe a silent sigh of relief at the lighter tone to his voice, as she took the opportunity to drink some more too.

She sucked in a breath, feeling even more light headed now.

She knew Daryl felt the need to remain guarded, cautious, but she couldn't help but picture what he would be like if he let the walls come down. She was sure she starting to feel something unspoken building between them, almost a sort of tension.

Wondering if she was imagining it, she blinked, her heart racing as she looked at him through her long eyelashes, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the candle placed between them. The buzz of the alcohol spurring her on, giving her confidence, as thinking she might regret it she said, "I've never been in love before."

He twitched instantly.

Beth was sure she saw another look of surprise cross his face.

She hadn't openly admitted it to anyone before, but she hadn't loved either of her previous boyfriends. She'd been fond of Jimmy her high school sweetheart, then Zach had been fun, but she hadn't had the chance to love them. Not properly. Not in the way her parents had loved each other, or Maggie and Glenn. Beth knew enough to be aware love couldn't be measured or defined, that it was an intense emotion that blossomed over time. She knew she may never experience it now, but until the day she died she would never give up hope that she would find it.

Daryl was a little taken aback at the openness of the statement. He looked away as though he was deliberating his response.

He couldn't work this girl out.

It wasn't surprise he felt at her confession, he cared little what she'd felt for her previous boyfriends and had given them next to no thought. It was more the fact that deep down he knew she was trying to get him to open up, and the insecure and defensive side of him wanted to hold her back. He didn't open up for anyone. That was how he survived. But he couldn't deny that however much it confused him, he was starting to feel more at ease with her.

He shifted uncomfortably still with no real idea how to respond to the deeply personal question Beth had just thrown at him.

Beth felt her cheeks flush as she glanced down at the glass in her hand. Had she completely misread the signals? She had thought they were more relaxed with each other now, that she could get him to open up. But maybe she had crossed a line, she thought, as her heart stopped for a second, bracing herself for him to flip out again.

But before either of them had the chance to say another word, everything went black as a gust of wind seemingly from no-where blew the candle between them out. The door to the run down log cabin bursting open with force, and a group of walkers clumsily made their way through it.

Daryl was on his feet immediately, cross bow in hand as he knocked them all out, one by one like he was playing a computer game. Effortlessly.

Beth looked on in awe, she knew there was no way she could have handled them like that. It was a harsh reminder of how much she needed him.

"This place ain't safe no more," he said gruffly once the last one was on the ground.

His guard firmly up again, he swung his cross bow over his back as he swooped down to pick up his backpack.

"We need to find some place more secure," he added, turning his back to Beth as she quickly got to her feet to follow him. Their game over.

**A/N - This chapter was more of a filler to set things up. Things are going to start taking a different turn to the show next. Thanks again for any feedback.**


	4. Chapter 4

Beth looked dreamily up at the big house in front of her.

After their past nightmare 24 hours, which involved, running, hiding, a sprained ankle and another long trek through the deserted and increasingly cold woods. It was almost like an oasis in a desert to find an actual building, that on first impressions looked fairly intact, with no signs of being overrun with walkers or looters.

They had stumbled across a graveyard, which in turn had led them to this house.

It was a little strange looking. Like a house you saw in a movie, or dream. But it didn't feel real.

Maybe she was dreaming, Beth thought as she hobbled up the front steps. Resting on Daryl's shoulder, she was unable to stop a small smile from crossing her lips, whilst he remained serious and whispered protectively, "Stay close".

Beth knew that Daryl was wary about any unknown place, with good reason. He had experienced unimaginable horror. But despite his reservations, Beth had a good feeling about this one. Perhaps she was being unrealistic, but Beth just wanted to hold on to the thought, that someone good had lived here, that something good was about to happen to them here. Because they deserved it, and there was just something about this place, despite it's quirks that felt good to her.

"You think there is still someone living here?" Beth whispered in his ear.

"If there is, they aint exactly going to be welcoming us with open arms," he mumbled back, his eyes alert.

"Dunno, there must still be some good people in the world," she replied hopefully.

"Nope, all the good people are gone, only the bad ones left now," he said in a low blunt voice.

Daryl wished he could share Beth's bright out look on the world, but his view of reality was a lot grimmer. Even before the outbreak he had never been given any reason to see the good in things.

Beth fell silent by his side.

She wanted to say to him that that his statement about good people being gone, couldn't be all true as _they_ were still in the world. But she knew he wouldn't appreciate it. He didn't exactly see himself as all good. So she chose to say nothing instead.

….

Beth was still rested on Daryl's shoulder as he opened the front door, her backpack clumsily knocking back against it as she stumbled through, causing it to fly noisily against the wall. A noise that would be sure to stir any potential walkers out from wherever they could be lurking inside.

They both froze for a second, their hearts thumping furiously in rhythm with each other, adrenaline flooding their veins as they anticipated the onslaught of another walker killing spree. But to their surprise the only sound they were met with was silence, deathly silence.

After a few seconds, Daryl's tense body relaxed slightly as he edged further inside. Being sure to take it slow, partly out of caution and partly because he knew Beth couldn't move too fast with her sprained ankle behind him.

"Stay close," he said again, his voice firm, but full of concern.

Beth pressed her slight body a little closer to his muscular back, breathing in his manly scent trying to quell any nerves, the lines of their personal space having become more and more blurred over the time they had recently spent together. Even if Beth had wanted to move away from him at that moment, her injured ankle made it near on impossible. She was completely reliant on him and she trusted him with her life.

They moved from one room to another slowly and cautiously. The house was clean and tidy, so much so it was almost a little creepy. Everything was just a little too perfect. Reaching the main room, they found it was large and full of rows of chairs neatly lined up, a grand piano to the side and a big wooden coffin placed on a stand at the front. A stark reminder that the big old house they had found was in fact an old funeral home. Ironically though it seemed to feel the most free from death than anything they had experienced in a a long time.

"Lets find the kitchen," Daryl mumbled, moving out of the room, eager to see what, if any, food supplies were left.

The kitchen was large, again seemingly untouched and spotlessly clean. Causing Daryl to fear even more that there was something not quite right about their new discovery. No-where was this immaculate anymore. There had to be someone keeping this place up. _Just who?_ Was the worrying question. Daryl didn't trust anyone and this looked likely to be a set up.

He didn't voice his concerns to Beth though, as they both set to work, opening all the cupboards examining the insides. Unable to hide the surprise from appearing on their faces, as they found endless stacks of carefully arranged un-perishable food. Assortments of cans, bags of dried rice and pasta, unopened chips and bottles of water and soda. There was enough food to keep them going for weeks. Plus a whole cupboard stocked full of medical supplies.

"This is great," Beth said as she started to shovel the supplies in to her backpack her face lighting up. It would certainly keep them going on their journey for a while.

Daryl's face remained stony as he further noted the lack of dust in any of the cupboards. At best they were looting someone's supplies, at worst they were falling in to a trap.

"You think we should take it?" Beth said, stopping for a brief second as her conscience hit in, looking at Daryl.

"We'll leave some," Daryl replied, he knew this was no time for conscience, it was every man for himself now, but still something buried deep inside him made him stop and say that.

Beth hobbled back towards the last unopened cupboard, crying out as she stumbled slightly awkwardly on her sprained ankle.

Daryl stopped what he was doing, putting his filled backpack down on the floor, moving over to where Beth was leaning against the worktop. "Let's get that ankle strapped," he said gesturing for her to sit back on a chair.

He wasn't a medic, but Daryl knew a little first aid, he needed to treat her injured ankle properly if it was going to heal quickly. Sprains could turn nasty he thought, nastier than a break. He'd had a few in his life time.

Beth didn't say anything as she sat down, letting out a small sigh of relief as the weight came off her swollen foot.

Daryl crouched down in front of her, gently taking her foot in his lap. She didn't object as he tugged her boot off, and slowly peeled away her damp sock. Working in silence.

Despite being black and blue, Beth had the most beautiful foot he had ever seen Daryl thought, as he tore at a roll of bandage with his teeth, pale and dainty like a porcelain doll.

Beth watched as his large warm fingers, expertly placed the bandage around her small delicate ankle. Wrapping it across the bottom of her foot, bringing it up the inside of her ankle and around the back applying slight tension as he provided additional support. Pressing lightly on her sensitive spots, causing her to wince a little.

"Sorry," he said awkwardly, pausing for a moment, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her more.

"It's okay," she was quick to say, as he finished off securing the end.

His hand lingering just a little too long on her foot when he was done. Her leg resting just a little too long on his thigh, enjoying the feeling of his toned muscles underneath her, unable to stop her mind from teasing her with thoughts of what could happen if he moved his skilled fingers up a little higher, causing her to blush a little. She looked at him catching his eye for a brief second, a ripple of butterflies hitting her, before he abruptly looked away, swiftly removing her leg from him as he quickly stood up.

"Better go and secure the place," he mumbled, hurriedly leaving the room.

Leaving Beth sat on her own in the middle of the strange kitchen, pondering if she had imagined what had just happened as she reached down for her sock and boot.

…...

Daryl had checked every room. Nothing out of the ordinary, until he had stumbled across a few dead bodies, walkers once he presumed, lying with funeral make up on, in the morgue at the base of the house. They had looked as though they were about to be buried in some kind of ceremony. It had creeped him out a little, but nothing would shock him much these days after everything he had seen. It was a funeral home after all, and seeing dead bodies, and walkers was just the norm now.

It would have creeped him out more, to have found the place completely clear of any kind of dead, he thought, as he moved along the long hall, on his way to locate Beth.

...

The room was filled with the soft sound of a piano, as satisfied the place was fully secure now, Daryl found Beth in the main room singing along to some song he didn't recognise.

He flopped down in to one of the more comfortable looking chairs. Normally her singing grated on him, but on this occasion he didn't mind it so much he thought, as he leant back placing his hands behind his head. Her voice was almost like a light at the end of a long dark tunnel. It filled the air with hope and happiness.

Beth wasn't quite sure how she had found her way to the piano. but she was glad she had, singing had always been a kind of therapy to her, both before and after the outbreak. It made her feel alive, like there was a point to everything. With each note she hit and each word she sang she felt like little parts of herself were slowly coming back alive, like there was something to live for after all.

Catching Daryl out of the corner of her eye, her voice wobbled slightly, she felt self conscious all of a sudden. Having an audience never normally bothered her, it hadn't back at the prison when she'd sung her heart out despite knowing it irritated everyone. But here, just her and Daryl in the large slightly spooky room she felt a little exposed as she trailed off and stopped. Glancing across at him.

"Place is secure…umm..carry on," he said in a soft voice, a voice she wasn't sure she'd heard before.

She smiled back at him, surprised, her eyes lighting up again.

There was something subtly different about him. He was softening, just a little. Slowly she sensed his guard was dropping around her, and despite all the darkness, that made her smile a little.

Daryl relaxed in to the chair even more as he continued to watch her.

Her light blonde hair was falling messily around her young pretty face as she sang, framed by the light of the bright flickering flames surrounding her. It was a rare sight to see something so special. She was as innocent as you could get in this world. But she was also wise beyond her years. She knew what to say and how to behave in far more ways than he ever had. He didn't see her as a child anymore either, she was a young woman.

He placed his hand behind his head. Something about it being just the two of them now was causing his mind to wander in ways he knew it shouldn't. He closed his eyes….

…...

"You think it's safe to stay tonight?" Beth said as she dug her fork in to the canned peaches in front of her, her wide eyes searching Daryl's face intently.

It was after dark now and they were back in the kitchen.

"Safe as anywhere," he mumbled with a mouthful of food.

Beth nodded as she ate some more in silence.

She wasn't overly worried. With him she felt safe.

She looked around the kitchen, it reminded her a little of her old kitchen back at the farm. Except that one was more cosy, it had always been so full of life and laughter with all her family there. She imagined what this cold empty kitchen would be like under different circumstances. She wondered what it would be like to live here…. to make a life here, a life with Daryl she thought as she realised just how closely she was sat to him.

She pressed her lips together, putting her fork down as she said,"We should maybe work out what we're saving for the road."

Daryl didn't say anything at first, concentrating on digging out the lid of a can with his knife. But her words had been heard loud and clear. They had only been here a short time but the thought of hitting the road again, did not seem particularly inviting to him. He knew Beth was desperate to find the others. He was too. But she was injured and they both needed to rest, he reasoned with himself.

"Maybe, we don't have to go tomorrow. We could just, y'know, stick around here for a while longer. Make it work with whoever lives here or somethin, build a life here," he said clumsily, looking across at her to gauge her reaction.

As crazy as it seemed to him, he was beginning to think that perhaps they could be happy staying here for a bit together, just the two of them. Happy without the others. Maybe, it wouldn't be the end of their world if they didn't find them, maybe they didn't have to die trying.

Beth's bright blue eyes widened with surprise as she swallowed her mouthful of peaches in one big gulp.

He was starting to see her as an equal, as someone he was happy to spend time with, to live here with, to build a life here with! They were survival partners now, close friends, family, _maybe even_….

"What changed your mind?" She questioned, her eyes meeting his straight on, realising he was a little out of his comfort zone.

For a moment he looked lost for words, making her wonder some more what had made him say that to her.

"You know," he said, flicking his hair. Trying to sound casual.

"Don't _'you know'_, me. What changed your mind?" Beth asked again.

He didn't speak, but he didn't have to, the emotion in his eyes giving him away.

"Oh," she said softly, her eyes filling with emotion too. Slowly realising what he what was getting at.

He remained silent, looking back at her in the dimly lit room. Her big blue eyes searching his face. It scared him how much she needed him, how much he was starting to need her.

He had no idea what to do next. But he knew his heartbeat was raging in his chest. His feelings for her were changing, deepening, she was starting to stir something in him. Something he hadn't thought he was capable of. She was giving him hope.

In a way, she was starting to become his world now, his reason to live.

They were all alone. Things were different. He craved her, needed her, wanted to be close to her so badly.

Daring himself, he moved a little closer to where she was was sat, stopping briefly, before she moved closer to him.

He moved his hand up to touch the side of her face with his thumb, still keeping eye contact, checking she was okay with what he was doing, allowing actions to express what he didn't fully have the confidence to say with words.

Beth felt her heart skip a beat, feeling a flutter spread across her body at the sensation of his touch and the anticipation of what was to come next. Willing him with her eyes, to take things further. To read the signal she was giving him. She wanted him. Not as a friend or a brother, or a chaperone. _She wanted him._

Just the mere thought of him in that way, was making every nerve in her body tingle.

Understanding they were on the same page. He leaned in. Trembling a little, he lightly brushed his lips with hers.

Slowly, intimately, he kissed her.

Beth immediately felt herself melt against the feel of his lips, parting her own lips for him as she carefully wrapped her arms around his neck, not wanting to make any sudden movements. This was unexpected, but magical. She could scarcely believe he was kissing her.

Finding their rhythm, the kiss became more intense, more passionate, releasing any tension that had been building up between them.

Nothing mattered here, not absent friends, not their pasts, their ages, nothing, all that mattered was how they were feeling right now. Happy. Connected. Wanted. Safe.

Eventually the kiss slowly broke apart.

Daryl brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face as they both smiled nervously, a little taken aback, unable to speak, confused. This wasn't meant to happen. Or was it?

"I err.. " Daryl started, just as there was a loud banging from the front door, causing them both to jump to their feet.

"Stay there," he said with authority, as he grabbed his cross bow, bounding out the door, before she could say anything.

**A/N - This chapter was (in my little bubble) what I thought, (or hoped), should have happened on the show. It may seem a bit rushed for them to kiss here, but I think the way they were looking at each other in the kitchen on the show, they were DEF heading that way. So, I'm wondering whether to wrap things up here and work on something else now. Thoughts? Anyone like to see more to the story? Maybe finding the others again?**


	5. Chapter 5

**a/n - Thanks for feedback, you guys are awesome. I have some new inspiration to explore some more with this story.**

* * *

Blood was pulsing through Beth's veins at an alarming rate as she sat up with a start.

Daryl was up and out of the room, before she'd even had the chance to process what was going on. From the loud noise and Daryl's reaction a big part of her was on the alert that something bad was coming their way again. But another part of her was still in total shock and slightly high. Because she was pretty sure that she had just had the most incredible kiss of her life and with surly Daryl Dixon of all people.

It wasn't that it hadn't been a long time coming, over the past few days Beth had taken a small thrill every time Daryl had got just that little bit too close to her. She'd experienced a flutter of butterflies every time he had looked at her a certain way even.

But now after that kiss, it had taken things to a whole new level. Even in her fantasies Beth had never quite envisaged he would be able to kiss her like that. He had started off lightly, before it turned more passionate whilst keeping it slow as it graduated to something deeper, quickly becoming much more intense as their chemistry had heated up and time had stopped. It had ignited some hormonal reaction in her body that Beth hadn't known she had. Producing a rush of electricity between them, that he had felt too, Beth had seen it in his eyes.

But thoughts of that were quickly cast to one side as still alone; Beth realized Daryl had been gone for well over a minute.

Something was wrong.

She managed to hobble up and out of the kitchen, her slight wrist twisting the small knife behind her back that she kept on her at all times theses days. Adrenaline once again taking her over. She couldn't hear anything, but that wasn't necessarily a good sign.

She started to panic; she didn't know what she would do if something happened to Daryl now.

"It's just a bunch of kittens," she suddenly heard him yell out at her, not realizing how close she was as she approached the front door

Beth picked up her pace as she hobbled even faster towards the front door, breathing a small sigh of relief as she saw Daryl crouched down in front of her a small black bundle of fur in his hand.

"Thought I told you to stay put," he said as he looked up, two bright green eyes peering out of his hand.

"You said there were kittens," Beth said excitedly grinning as her eyes sparkled magically.

She crouched down next to him, to see to the left of the doorstep slightly hidden by the edge of some large dark green bushes, looking terrified, was a huddle of four maybe five jet black kittens. Probably no more than around eight weeks old.

"Yeah, I did," Daryl replied.

Shaking his head, he watched her with slight amusement. She was taking it in turns to stroke their smooth soft young fur with her fingers, her lips making a soothing noise which seemed to instantly calm them.

She seemed to be lost in a world of her own for a moment as she fussed over them. It reminded Daryl a little of how she had been with baby Judith back at the prison. No-one had soothed the tiny motherless infant like Beth had. Making him feel sad, as he thought back to the beautiful baby they had all raised together, she had made it in their cruel world, despite the odds stacked against her. They would probably never find out what had happened to her now.

"Come on," he said a little gruffly, his mood shifting as he glanced around him and in to the shadows. He didn't have a good feeling about this. Kittens didn't just land on the doorstep like this lot had. Something wasn't right.

"Where do you think they came from? Do you think their mother is still alive?" Beth asked, looking up at him.

"I dunno, but aint much we can do for em, even if it aint," he replied, still clutching the same kitten in his arms as he looked at it making a face. It had been the first one to approach him, the bravest, he liked that, he thought, as he noticed a small white patch of fur under its chin.

Beth watched him, from where she was still sat on the ground. He was so gentle with the baby cat, he held it like it was a precious butterfly. Beth couldn't help but smile a little at what a softie he could prove to be at times.

"What?" Daryl asked, frowning at her amused smile.

"Nothing," she replied, as she turned her attention back to the litter on the floor.

Taking a more serious tone, she said, "There weren't here earlier. You think someone put them here on purpose as a message or something?"

Daryl shook his head. He didn't want to freak her out, not yet.

"I guess maybe their mother left them here, while she went out hunting or something," he said instead, as he carefully put the warm little black fur-ball he'd been holding in his hands, down with the rest of its brothers and sisters.

"You think we should take them inside, what if she doesn't come back?" Beth said with a worried expression on her face.

She was concerned about the kitten's welfare first and foremost. But she also, couldn't help but crave their company in this dark world too. The quiet comfort animals gave her was something she had really missed since she had left her family home on the farm, having always been surrounded by pet cats and dogs.

But Beth knew she had to be realistic. She'd had plenty of experience raising kittens back on the farm. But back there she'd had all the resources to raise young animals, something they didn't have here. Daryl was right, there really was nothing she could do for them. Except hope their mother was close by.

"Well, we'll leave them for now, see if they're still there in the morning, they look healthy enough, someone's been taking good care of them," Daryl said as he stood up, gently touching Beth on the elbow to encourage her to follow him.

Touching her again, making him feel a spark.

As awkward as he felt about it, Daryl hadn't forgotten what had taken place between them, right before they had been interrupted by the kittens. He was aware that he couldn't just go on pretending nothing had happened for much longer. But he also knew he was hopeless when it came to communicating his feelings.

"Yeah, I guess so, they'll be alright until then," Beth said a little sadly, agreeing with him, as she stood up too, smoothing down her ruffled hair, following him back inside.

He lowered his hand to the small of her back to prop her up, giving her a small rush of excitement in the process at the sensation of his hand on her back again.

…..

Back inside, Beth watched Daryl as he wedged the front door firmly shut.

She shivered, forcing a smile.

She wasn't an idiot, she knew this place probably wasn't as safe as it seemed. But just for one night at least she wanted to pretend that it was. Pretend that it could be their home. That there wasn't a whole bunch of bad stuff going on in the world outside and at anytime now their lives could be snuffed out in an instant.

Right now Beth simply couldn't contemplate anything else happening to them. So she decided, just for one night, she was going to pretend everything was okay.

"We should try and get some rest, there must be some beds upstairs," she said, smiling again, as she continued to watch Daryl double checking and then triple checking the front door.

He had barely even looked at her since they had come back indoors as he busied himself with the task of securing the house.

"Umm..well you go on ahead, I'll keep watch down here," he said, avoiding eye contact still, as he picked up his cross bow throwing it over his shoulder.

Beth bit her lip anxiously; she knew he was feeling as uncomfortable as she was, probably more so.

Taking a deep breath, she said forcefully, "We both need to rest, Daryl. I think you have done just about as much as is physically possible to that door now, ain't no zombies getting through that tonight. Now I am willing to bet upstairs there are some big ol comfy beds with real mattresses and clean sheets. We might not get the chance again, so I for one am going up there….you coming?" she said, her twinkling blue eyes catching his darker blue ones straight on. Before she turned limping a little still on her bad ankle, to make her way upstairs.

Daryl remained still and silent for a second, just looking at her, confusion darting across his eyes. Before, cross bow still hung over his shoulder, he found himself slowly following her up the large, wooden, rounded stair case.

Beth felt a huge surge of relief as she heard him behind her. Partly because she knew he needed to get some rest too, but more so she didn't really fancy the idea of sleeping alone up there in the big creepy funeral home, not that she would have admitted it to him, but with him beside her she knew she'd feel safer.

…

"Told ya," Beth said her face lighting up, to see a large double bed in the first room she tried.

It appeared to be un-slept in too, with crisp clean sheets a colourful bed spread and big fluffy white pillows. Like most things about this place, it seemed almost too good to be true.

Daryl looked around a little uneasily at the immaculate room with the big inviting double bed at the centre. He wasn't sure he would be completely comfortable sleeping next to her on it. Something had made him follow her upstairs, but it was just to make sure she was safe he told himself, it was better if they were together, he thought, as he remained glued to the spot in the doorway.

Beth looked back at Daryl tentatively, she was grateful he was here, but she wished he would say something, anything, just some small sign to indicate what he was thinking.

She knew he was a man of few words, sometimes what he didn't say meant more than what he did. But even so, right now she needed him to talk to her. Did he regret kissing her earlier? Had he followed her up, just to make sure she was safe, out of a sense of duty? Or did he, like her, want to spend the night together.

"Looks good to me," he eventually said as he walked in to the room and set his crossbow down on the side.

As awkward as he was feeling, he couldn't deny that the sight of the big comfortable bed didn't look overwhelmingly appealing to him after their time sleeping on the road, the narrow hard bunks at the prison, having not been much better either.

Beth looked at him, slight relief flooding her face as she sat down on the side of the bed, falling back against one of the soft plump pillows. "So, come on what ya waiting for," she said playfully. Looking across to where Daryl was still stood watching her.

Looking at Beth, Daryl knew he was still confused about what had happened between them earlier in the kitchen. He liked her, a lot. He knew that much and it wasn't just in the way he always thought he'd liked her too. Because she was sweet and kind, fun to be around, a little ray of sunshine. It was more than that now. He liked her, in the way a man liked a woman. He desired her. Right now, more than anything he had desired in his life. He could see she wasn't a girl anymore, she was a woman. She was his for the taking.

But as much as those feelings were starting to overpower him, Daryl was also aware he needed to protect them both.

As good as it seemed, there was just something not quite right about their current home. Danger would find them wherever they were now and it was up to him to be ready when it did. He knew he had to put any other thoughts out of his mind, it was imperative to their survival, he thought, as he made himself say, "You go ahead, I'll take the floor."

Beth looked up at him a little surprised from where she had just lit a small candle by the side of the bed, "Seriously, Daryl?" She exclaimed, unable to hide the slight look of disappointment creeping on to her face.

She knew he was trying to do the gentlemanly thing and she shouln't take it personally, but this was no place to be a gentleman, they both deserved a decent night's sleep in the bed if nothing else. She wished he didn't feel he had to be so strong all the time, so reserved. He deserved something good.

"I'll umm…take a couple of these pillows or something," he mumbled, unable to look her in the eye again.

He knew he was doing the right thing. Sleeping next to her and not allowing himself to touch her in that way, would be a nightmare. It seemed now he had given in to his confused feelings, he only had to think about her in a certain way, for his body to got turned on.

"Just get on the bed, Daryl, we both need to sleep, I really don't mind sharing," Beth insisted.

A quick search of her face made Daryl realise she wasn't taking no for an answer this time.

Not that he exactly needed to be asked twice either, he thought, as he gave in. Flinging himself back on to the bed too. Stretching his legs out, putting his hands behind his head, as he let out a deep sigh.

"Sure feels good," he said, as he stared up at the ceiling.

He knew he wouldn't sleep a wink tonight though. His system was too full of adrenaline. Partly at the thought of who might occupy the seemingly perfect place they had now found themselves in, and partly because he was lying inches away from Beth.

Beth shuffled on to her side to try and get comfortable, her back to Daryl as she inhaled and exhaled deeply a couple of times, realizing how stiff and tense all her muscles were. She closed her eyes. Sensing Daryl breathing beside her. She longed to reach over to wrap her arms around him, rest her head on his shoulder, press her lips to his again even. But she had no idea how it would be received now that he seemed to be acting weird again.

Eventually, she turned to lie on her back, edging a little bit closer to him. It was too dark to see anything now, but she could tell he was still awake too. She sucked in a small breath and said, "Wonder how those kittens are doing?"

He didn't answer at first, before he finally said, "I'm sure they're fine, they wouldn't have made it this far, if they weren't survivors."

"True," Beth replied, before adding softly, "I wish my Dad had been here to see them, he always loved cats before, I mean he loved all animals of course, but he always had a thing for cats, said they were smarter than other animals."

They both went quiet, an air of sadness lingering as they thought about Hershel Greene.

Beth thought about the loving father she had lost.

Daryl thought about the wise and kind old man he had been lucky enough to have known. He hadn't deserved to die the way he had and Beth hadn't deserved to see it either, Daryl thought.

Suddenly he felt himself reaching for her hand next to his in the darkness, her small trembling fingers instantly lacing with his big strong ones perfectly. It felt so natural to them both as they took comfort from each others touch in the cold silent room, staying like that for a while, as their grip tightened.

Her father might be gone, but Beth still had Daryl, she always would, he knew that. A wave of emotions washing over him.

Being so close to him, Beth no longer felt confused.

Daryl might be unsure about what he wanted to happen between them, but she wasn't. She'd had no idea that Daryl had known how to kiss a woman like he'd kissed her earlier and suddenly it became very clear to her, as she lay in the dark next to him. She wanted to _be with him_ more than anything. She wanted to take things further, to give herself to him fully.

Eventually their fingers broke apart and Beth found herself on her side again, only this time she was resting up against Daryl's side, her head nestled in to his shoulder. She could feel each breath he took, every move he made.

She was unable to properly sleep at first as a surge of arousal rushed through her at how close he was to her. A feeling she she had never fully experienced before.

Sensing Beth finally drifting off to sleep Daryl stared in to the darkness, being next to her was stirring something in him more and more.

Just like the kiss from earlier. It was slowly awakening something that had been lying dormant for a very long time. A deep rooted sexual desire.

He was a man and he had needs. But he had somehow managed to keep a lid on them until now.

It was a while since he had been with a woman, kissed one even and an even longer time since he had kissed one like he had kissed Beth earlier. Now that he had opened that door, his mind might be having reservations, but his body was aching for her. He could no longer pretend otherwise as he closed his eyes, allowing himself to rest for just a second, knowing his crossbow was close enough to grab in an instant should he need to.

…..

Daryl woke a good eight hours later, the room flooded with bright sunlight.

He had to do a double take at first, before everything came rushing back to him. The funeral house, the kitchen full of food, the kittens, Beth!

He suddenly remembered what had happened with Beth, and he glanced over to see she was still there lying next to him. Her light blonde hair spread out messily across the pillow, her eyes closed contently as her lips mumbled something he couldn't make out.

She glided back to push her body closer in to his.

Daryl was unable to stop his body responding to her as he tried to pull away a little. The ends of her hair tickling his face as he breathed in her sweet scent, was this how it was supposed to be? Waking up together on a peaceful, sunny morning.

Beth woke gradually, to the sensation of something pressing up against her as she realized Daryl had his arm half draped around her. She smiled a little giddily.

They were both still fully dressed and it was day light, but it still gave her a head rush to be waking up in an actual bed, with Daryl. She wasn't experienced with men, but she knew enough to know she was having an effect on him too.

"Morning," she said a nervous smile crossing her lips as she looked over at him.

She knew she probably wasn't looking her best, but she didn't care. They'd been roughing it on the road in the worst conditions together, so there was no reason she should feel self conscious about her appearance here.

"Err..Morning, you sleep okay?" he replied, moving away from her, his cheeks flushing a little.

He knew he was completely out of his depth. Were they sleeping next to each other as just friends, companions even, or more now?

"We made it through the night and nothing happened," Beth remarked, her smile growing.

"Think we can still stick around here for a bit?" She asked, her eyes flashing at him shyly, as her face hovered dangerously close to his again.

"Don't see why not," he replied in a low voice, as his features softened slightly, making her smile grow even more.

"Ssshhh.. What the hell is that?" Beth quickly said, in a panic, her tone changing, holding one of her slim fingers up to her lips.

There was a rustling noise coming from the corner of the room.

Daryl froze, reaching for his crossbow as he heard it too.

But before he could act, the rustling stopped, and instead they were met with a distinct mewing sound, as the small black kitten with the white patch under it's chin from the night before came bounding in to the room.

"She found her way in somehow! Must be a good sign," Beth said excitedly, as she leaned down, to scoop the purring kitten up in to her arms.

Daryl face remained serious, as the heavy uneasy feeling he had experienced the day before returned. Something wasn't right!

**A/N –Sorry the cat lover in me couldn't resist this chapter. Plus I was reading an interview with NR the other day where he says he loves cats, which gave me the idea for this chapter. As always thanks for the support for my writing. I am slowly getting back in to it. Oh and next chapter, things are going to start to heat up for our favourite couple ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Chapter 6**

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**A/N - New year and new chapter! If people are still interested in following this please let me know. I haven't update for a while after the MSF! But I am still excited to explore my own version of Beth and Daryl, (where she doesn't get kidnapped at the funeral home:)**

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Beth cursed slightly as she felt herself going over on her bad ankle again.

Steadying herself on the nearest tree, she took a deep breath, adjusting the straps on her heavy backpack weighed down with cans and bottles taken from the funeral home.

"You alright?" Daryl questioned, glancing sideways at the young blonde.

Beth just nodded in response, regaining her breath. She had convinced Daryl, badly, that she was okay again. But she could still barely put any weight on her swollen ankle.

Daryl wasn't stupid, he could see Beth wasn't in a fit state to be trekking through the woods. But he hadn't been too happy at the thought of her staying alone back at the big old creepy house that they'd been staying in either.

He'd made the decision; they had to stake the surrounding area out properly. He had an uneasy feeling there were other survivors close by, at the very least there had been someone else staying in the funeral home until very recently.

So, whether they were good or bad, Daryl wanted to make sure he and Beth were fully prepared when they encountered whoever else might be lurking around.

He hadn't said anything to Beth, but the night he had discovered the kittens, Daryl was sure he had seen a mysterious black car speed by in the distance. Now that he'd had the chance to sleep on it, he wanted to check for tracks or any other clues that might lead to finding out who was around and who had been staying at the house before they had got there.

"Hey, look, she's still following us," Beth suddenly exclaimed, looking back to see a flash of black fur and two bright green eyes peering out from underneath some long overgrown patches of grass.

Daryl frowned, looking back. It was the same small cat that had appeared out of no-where earlier that morning in the bedroom.

"It'll turn back soon," he mumbled.

They had come across many wild animals on their journey, but there was just something about this particular little feline that was different. She was special, a fighter.

"You think we should do something?" Beth said softly, still propping herself up against the same tree.

"Nah, we aint got time to be worryin about that," Daryl snapped back a little irritated. Not wanting to let on to Beth that he was just as concerned about their new little friend getting lost in the woods as she was.

He had spent a good thirty minutes playing with the kitten earlier back at the house whilst Beth had been getting cleaned up and he knew getting too friendly had probably been a mistake, that was most likely the reason that the little cat was shadowing them now.

"We gotta keep going," he said gruffly, marching forwards.

Hobbling on, Beth reluctantly followed him, a slight air of tension falling between them.

She knew Daryl would never abandon her, but something was different between them. He was less friendly, more serious. It was as though his mind was elsewhere.

They still hadn't made any real reference to their kiss either. It was clear Daryl felt uncomfortable about it, but Beth couldn't help but still wonder whether he also regretted it on some level too. If he had simply just been carried away with the moment and now he'd had the chance to focus again, he had realized kissing her like he had, had been a mistake. Just like it appeared he had realized staying together at the funeral home now, would be a mistake.

But despite that, there had been something unspoken between them the previous night when they had slept on the double bed together. Beth felt certain of that. They may have slept fully clothed. But it had meant something.

Beth had never felt so contented, so secure, so peaceful. She had fallen asleep with her head on his chest and woken to the sound of his heavy breathing next to her.

Taking some comfort in that thought, she carried on walking along in silence next to him.

Approaching a fork in the road, Daryl suddenly slowed down, spinning round and crouching down.

"What is it?" Beth said, catching up to him.

He ignored her at first, deep in concentration, before he mumbled, "Tire tracks, there was a car going past here last night, must have been going at some speed too."

"Oh," Beth replied her mouth falling open, before she said, "You think it could have been whoever was staying at the house?"

"Dunno," Daryl said, standing up, pulling the red rag out of his back pocket to wipe his hands, a grim look appearing on his face.

He knew, the chances of whoever had been in the car being decent, were slim. The tracks were fresh, possibly left the night before and from the looks of it they had been going pretty fast, probably on some sort of mission. Which was never going to be a good.

"You think, maybe, it could be the others? Looking for us?" Beth asked hesitantly, realizing as she said it what a long shot that would be.

Daryl screwed up his face, "Lets follow em, see where they lead," he said in response.

His eyes scanning the long stretch of road ahead, thinking this was as good a clue as they were going to get, right now.

"You carry on, I'll catch ya up," Beth said, realizing she needed a bathroom break that couldn't wait.

"Uh-okay," Daryl replied awkwardly.

His eyes flitting in her direction as the pretty young blonde disappeared out of eyeshot in to the woods.

It was something they'd had to become accustomed to, waiting whilst the other went off alone for private moments. Although Daryl had always ensured to be gentlemanly about it, it still made him feel slightly uneasy and he always made a point of making sure she was never too far away, should she need him.

This time however his mind was focused more on the tracks on the road.

Slowly he made his way further forwards. His eyes fixed on the unusual tire tracks. Until something altogether more concerning suddenly caught his eye. It was the tracks of a group of people on foot, from the size of the prints there were about five or six of them, probably all male. He followed them for a short distance before they abruptly stopped.

Daryl sensed danger, something wasn't right, he thought.

Without even thinking he reached for his crossbow holding it up in the air, hearing a twig snap, adrenaline seeped through him as he stood poised for confrontation.

"Well, look what we have here, an archer," a rough male voice suddenly said and from the direction Daryl was facing, a group of about six men appeared out of the woods. Headed up by a tall older guy, with a long gray beard and straggly graying hair.

Daryl grimaced, he knew their type only too well, trouble. The worst kind of redneck lowlifes you could encounter.

He didn't say anything, just kept his crossbow pointed firmly in the direction of the supposed ring leader.

"Relax, bowman, we aint gonna kill ya," the older guy said, adding with a sly laugh, "Yet."

Daryl felt himself tense up, sensing five of six weapons pointed in his direction. He was outnumbered.

"That is a pretty impressive weapon you have there. I'm willing to bet you're pretty skilled with it too," the rough gray haired man went on to say, raising his eyebrows looking from Daryl to his crossbow.

"Now we could do with a skilled bowman like you in our crew. You're out here all on your own, how about you join us and we don't kill you," he said slowly, chuckling.

"I'm Joe and we're the claimed crew. The way it works, you see something; you claim it. So what do you say bowman? You join us?"

Daryl still didn't respond, keeping his cool, his cross bow raised. He looked in to the other guy's eye, he would have to think fast if the outcome was going to be anything but disastrous for him.

"Why would I wanna do that?" Daryl eventually said in a rough deep voice.

"Safety in numbers, we can share, you offer us what you got, we'll return the favour. You won't have to be walking these paths alone anymore. There are some real loose cannons out here, one guy in particular, a real asshole, we're hunting down at the moment. Tried to kill a few of our guys a little way back. Could do with your help, getting him," Joe answered.

Daryl glanced around at the other men in the group; they were filthy, covered in blood, dirt and sweat. A couple were watching him grinning, whilst the other remaining members looked on scowling in mild suspicion at their leaders negotiations.

Remaining deadly still in the same spot, facing the other men, Daryl felt his body flood with fresh adrenaline.

He was very aware they were currently all under the impression he was out here on his own, without any other people. At least none close by anyway. Beth had been gone a while and Daryl silently hoped she had seen what was going on and would have had the good sense to hide. At least until he had had taken care of the situation.

Although he was doubtful that would happen. He knew exactly what they would do to her if they found her, but he wasn't so sure she would realize that.

He opened his mouth to say something, assessing the situation, Daryl knew he would have to diffuse things somehow. He couldn't do anything too reckless. He was badly outnumbered. He knew that he had no intention of joining the rough looking group of men in front of him. But he would have to think of something, fast.

Before he had the chance to say anything further, his heart sank slightly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Daryl spotted a flash of blonde hair, a green jacket and light blue jeans. It was Beth.

Without turning to look in her direction, he still silently willed her to turn around and run away.

"Daryl, wh-whats going on?" Beth stammered, approaching the group. Looking tentatively around at the scene unfolding in front of her, reaching down for her gun, realizing Daryl's new acquaintances weren't exactly friendly.

Suddenly all eyes were turned away from Daryl in to the direction of the striking looking young blonde girl.

"Well, look like what we have here, boys. We got a young un," Joe said, breaking in to a wide lecherous grin at the sight of Beth.

Beth flinched, feeling very self conscious, sensing everyone's attention was fixed purely on her.

With her heart pounding violently, her fingers curled tightly around the cold gun tucked in to the waist of her jeans. Her startled blue eyes catching Daryl's serious eyes straight on, and she knew it was bad. She looked away and bit down on her lip hard.

"You kept this one quiet. Daryl, was it?" Joe went on to say, grinning some more in Daryl's direction. As Daryl just glared back at him.

The ugly older man took a step closer to Beth, causing her to edge backwards, stumbling slightly in to the path of another one of the 'claimed' group, as she gripped the nearest tree to keep her balance. This group member was slightly younger, but was equally as repulsive, with a dirty face, uneven shaggy beard and several missing teeth.

"Now, after our kindness at sparing your life and offering you a place in our group, you weren't thinking of keeping this little treasure all to yourself were you?" Joe asked Daryl directly.

Daryl remained silent, his eyes narrowing with rage, his arms still holding his crossbow up ready to fire if needed.

Beth winced as she glanced at the disgusting looking man edging closer towards her. His stench filling her nostrils, making it hard for her to breath. She looked towards Daryl, her bright blue eyes pleading with him to do something.

"Leave her alone," Daryl said gruffly.

"Come on now, bowman. It's been a while since these good men have seen a female out here, and this one here is a real beauty. I'm sure you've had your fun with her already, only fair to share." The odious leader said, with a wink in Beth's direction. Making her want to retch.

"The young ones are the best," The stinking man, hovering close to Beth by the tree, said with a smirk.

Causing Daryl to lunge forwards slightly his face full of anger, moving his crossbow in the direction of the man in front of Beth.

"What's your name, blondie?" The foul looking, younger man, said to her. Placing one hand provocatively up against the tree where she was stood, leering and licking his lips.

Beth looked away and down at the ground. "Go to hell," she spat.

"Well, that's not very friendly now is it?" He responded, with an cocky smile, reaching his hand up to touch the loose hair falling on her face with his grubby fingers.

Beth felt her skin crawling, her whole body shaking with fear and repulsion.

She could sense Daryl's rage too, from where he was stood a little way away from her, still pointing his crossbow at the disgusting man in front of her, and she prayed that Daryl wouldn't do anything stupid.

She also prayed he would think of a way out for them fast, or she feared for the worst.

She froze some more as she heard the click of a rifle. Looking up, she saw another of the group members had a weapon pointed directly at Daryl's head.

"Drop it," he said loudly to Daryl.

Daryl knew he was defeated, slowly dropping his crossbow.

As much as it pained him to stand down, he knew he had no choice. Dying out here, wouldn't help Beth.

He could see the fear in her eyes. He knew he had to do something to help her. He couldn't leave her out here with these people.

He sucked in a breath, glaring at the men surrounding the beautiful blonde girl, he knew he would stop at nothing to protect. This situation, had been what he had feared above all else. The reason he had hoped Beth would have stayed hidden. He knew what these men were capable of, the things they would do to her given half the chance, they were animals.

"Tell me your name, bitch. Or your boyfriend dies," the man pressed up against Beth said. Causing a strong wave of nausea to hit her, with the waft of his rancid breath.

"B-beth," she answered, in a quiet voice, her hands shaking some more.

"Well how about it then, Bethy," he said, breaking in to another gappy smile, jerking his rough hands up and under her shirt.

At the sight of the filthy, feral, redneck with his hands on Beth, Daryl snapped.

His survival instincts kicking in, reacting so fast that he took himself by surprise even, as his elbow went up fiercely knocking the rifle pointed at his head straight out of the man to his rights hand.

Reaching down for his crossbow, he had never moved so quickly. In one swift movement he had fired, knocking an arrow clean it in to the back of the head belonging to the man molesting Beth. Blood spurting from his mouth, as he tumbled to the ground away from where he had been taunting her.

Firing again, Daryl quickly managed to take out two of the other men, before they had the chance to retaliate.

Beth acted quickly too, with trembling fingers she lifted her gun, firing at another of the men, stopping him from shooting Daryl, knocking him to the ground.

But before she had the chance to fire again, the fifth man had aimed his weapon clumsily in Daryl's direction, pulling the trigger.

Beth wasn't quite sure whether it had hit Daryl or not as he fell backwards with the pressure.

_And everything stopped for Beth._

She looked down stifling a scream, to where Daryl lay on the ground, blood trickling from his side a little.

If anything had happened to him, she didn't know what she would do. She was about to cry out his name and rush over to his side, when she realized there were still two of the bad guys left standing. The younger man that had just tried to shoot Daryl and the older gray haired man, Beth presumed was the leader.

Paralysed with fear, Beth could only watch with horror as the younger man raised his weapon again in a lifeless looking Daryl's direction, and she knew she had to do something.

But before she had the chance to move, the older guy slapped her hard against her cheek bone, causing her to fly backwards. Her gun falling dramatically out of her limp wrist, and instantly the ugly older man had it covered with his foot forcing her to remain frozen to the spot, looking on in dismay.

From where he lay on the ground, Daryl reached out slowly for the discarded rifle from his first tumble with one of the, claimed group members.

Grasping it tightly, he pulled himself up, quickly aiming and firing at the menacing looking guy that had knocked him to the ground moments earlier, taking him by surprise, killing him instantly.

This just left Daryl, and Joe, the leader of the claimed group.

Any hint of the self controlled cockiness, he had displayed earlier had left the older guys face, replaced with a look of pure hatred and all out war. Daryl had successfully taken out all his men and now he was looking for blood.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that," he yelled, looking Daryl square in the eye, pointing a gun in his direction.

"Because, think about this, after I kill you, it's just gonna be me and her," he said, cocking his head in a terrified Beth's direction.

Daryl was on his feet again. He knew, if he pulled the trigger on the rifle, the older man would probably have just enough time to pull his and shoot him back. Instead he lunged at the mean looking group leader, using his fists to smash in to his face hard, causing them both to plunge to the ground.

Daryl carried on the assault, picking up the older man's head, smashing it to the ground repeatedly, appearing to have the upper hand. Before seemingly from no-where the other man had a blade in his hand, sticking it in to Daryl's side as they rolled over.

"Run, Beth, Run," Daryl yelled breathlessly, in the young blonde's direction.

Beth felt her mouth fly open in terror, before she scrabbled around trying to find her gun on the dirty ground.

Her eyes still on Daryl wrestling with the rough older man. Her heart pounding, as adrenaline and panic rushed through her, realizing Daryl had been injured.

He was still struggling with the other man on top of him.

When suddenly completely out of no-where Beth saw him pick up a big rock, bringing it crashing down on to the disgusting older man's skull, before shoving his lifeless body off him.

Catching his breath, Daryl sat up, checking the other man was definitely not breathing first, before his gaze turned to Beth.

Her face was bleeding and her hair was wild, falling messily around her face, but she was okay.

As their eyes met, she rushed across to where he was still sat, flinging her arms around his neck crushing him slightly as she held him tight, taking comfort from the sensation of his beating heart against her chest through his torn shirt.

Daryl put his hand up to firmly grip the back of her soft blonde hair, holding her head tightly against his neck, breathing out with relief that she was okay.

"You're hurt," Beth said, her eyes wide with concern, as they broke apart and she looked down at Daryl's bloodied shirt.

"I'm okay, I'll live," Daryl mumbled, in a low voice almost a whisper, adding, "It's not done any real damage."

Slowly, Daryl got to his feet. Picking up his crossbow and backpack.

"Come on, best make our way back to the funeral home, we can get cleaned up there," he said, as Beth just nodded.

They both knew, there was food there, and a warm bed, not to mention medical supplies.

...

Propping themselves up against each other, they stumbled back along the path they had walked earlier that day in silence.

Both in shock still.

Until unable to walk anymore, Beth collapsed to her feet.

"I'm sorry," she exclaimed letting out a sigh.

She didn't want to appear to be weak, but she was exhausted, having twisted her ankle even more in the fight she wasn't sure how much further she could physically walk.

Feeling herself going a little faint she closed her eyes, just as she sensed something warm and furry tickling her hand. She opened her eyes to see the same small black kitten from earlier had appeared again.

"She waited for us," Beth exclaimed, a warm smile spreading on her lips, her eyes sparkling.

"Here," Daryl said leaning down offering Beth his hand, pulling her gently to her feet.

Crouching back down to gently stroke the cute little cat under the chin, his eyes lighting up too, as a small smile formed on his lips.

"You want me to carry you?" He said to Beth, his attention still on the cat.

"No, no," Beth said quickly, "You can't do that. You're hurt."

"Aint far, I'm okay," Daryl responded, getting back on his feet.

"You're in no fit state to walk," he muttered, scooping her up in to his strong muscular arms before she could object.

...

Slowly and steadily, with Beth's arms looped around Daryl's neck, they continued to walk back in the direction of the temporary home they had abandoned earlier that day.

Both taking a small comfort from the sight of their small black companion, now trailing along closely by their side too…

**A/N - Thanks for reading, please leave a review if you have time :) Next chapter is going to be a good one ;) Things are going to get emotional and start to move of for our favourite couple!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Chapter 7**

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**A/N - Thanks SO much for the great response to the last chapter. I am very excited for this story now and I loved writing this chapter. I hope it helps a little with the January Blues.**

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"Wait here," Daryl said firmly, as Beth slid gracefully out of his arms. As they arrived back at the front door to the funeral home.

Beth wanted to object, but she wasn't sure if she had the energy. So, instead she did as he said, and remained just inside the entrance to the old house. Her arms wrapped around herself, with only the small black cat for company.

Shivering slightly, Beth let out a small sigh of relief as Daryl came back in to sight a few seconds later. Looking visibly weary and limping slightly, he nodded in her direction. Indicating all was okay for them to bunker down in the empty house for the night again.

Beth couldn't help but feel a little guilty, looking at Daryl. He was injured. How badly, she still wasn't sure. But it had to have been made worse, by carrying her the last mile or so back.

Plus, she was very aware that it was in part due to her stupidity, that they had both nearly been killed or worse by the dangerous crew of men they had somehow managed to defeat in the woods.

Shuffling forwards, fully satisfied there was no-one lurking anywhere inside, Daryl shit the front door and led Beth across the hallway.

Slowly, without saying a word to each other they made their way up the stairs together.

Beth wasn't quite sure who had initiated it, but within seconds their fingers had found themselves laced together. Both still in shock at what had happened, climbing each step as if it was a steep mountain. Taking comfort from the fact that they still had each other.

Their unspoken bond, meaning they could communicate just fine without words. Both knowing, the only thing they needed at that point, was to get cleaned up and rest. They were filthy, bleeding and exhausted.

Making their way back over to the same bedroom they had slept so peacefully in the night before. They sank down on to the bed at the same time, allowing themselves to breathe out silently with relief.

They had made it back to safety.

They were alive, and most importantly they were still together.

Carefully, Daryl set his cross bow down, taking off his jacket, watching as Beth slid out of her damp coat too, leaving her dressed only in her skimpy sleeveless t-shirt. Her pale arms shuddering, as she bent down to remove her boots.

Daryl went to lean over too, crying out slightly from the pain in his side, looking purposefully away from Beth so she couldn't see his expression.

Beth was up and on her feet in seconds, darting out the room. Returning quickly with a bowl of water.

Before fumbling in her backpack for a suture kit, some dressings, cotton wool, pure alcohol, a bottle of amoxicillin and some strong, kick-ass pain killers, she had stuffed in to there the day before.

Daryl didn't say anything, as she moved towards him, placing her cold hands on his dirty shirt, pulling it up and over his head, causing him to wince some more with the sharp sting.

Her eyes moved downwards, towards the bloodied wound on his side. He had played it down, but it was a mess. She would need to clean it, before she could take a good look to see what the damage was, how deep the blade had gone in.

"I'm sorry, I need to just.." Beth said, shaking a little, holding up the alcohol. Her big blue eyes moving up to meet his own blue eyes straight on. He jerked his head.

Beth could tell from his body language, he wasn't exactly comfortable with her doing this.

"Just do what you need to," he mumbled gruffly.

"Arghh.." he cried out in pain, as she proceeded to pour the neat alcohol on to his wound.

"Sorry, my dad taught me this was the only way," Beth explained, biting her lower lip in concentration, brushing her hair away from her eyes staring deeply in front of her, desperately trying to remember what her father had told her to do back at the prison when dealing with any kind of trauma or knife wound.

Silently, Beth wished more than anything that her dad was here with her right now. Realizing, how she missed him more than ever. He would know exactly what to do, and he would be able to make everything okay, he always did.

But, he wasn't there, and Beth knew she had to pull herself together.

Hershel Green might not be there in person, but he was there in spirit, through his youngest daughter. There was a reason he had trained Beth some basic first aid back at the prison. He must have known there was a good chance she would need it one day, one day when he couldn't be around, she thought as she tried to focus. Daryl was depending on her now.

He was aware of what needed to be done too. He knew enough, to know that a knife wound didn't need to be nasty to kill you. If it wasn't cleaned properly an infection could spread.

Silently he watched as Beth gently examined and cleaned the deep gash on his side, while he sat shirtless perched on the edge of the bed. Feeling her delicate fingers on his exposed flesh, he breathed in, allowing himself to take in her sweet scent as she moved slightly closer to him.

"Don't look too deep, probably need a few stitches though, sorry," she said, her hands trembling still, as she set to work, sewing up the bloodied knife wound, as best she could, with neat but uneven stitches.

Daryl looked to the side of the room away from her, screwing his palms in to tight fists, as she carefully continued to stitch together his wounded side.

Finishing off, she neatly cut the end of the thread, before carefully placing a large dressing over it. Taking extra care to make sure it was in the exact right position, before pressing the edges down firmly. Looking up to see his deep expressive blue eyes starting straight at her again, displaying a subtle vulnerability she hadn't seen in him before.

"Done," Beth said nervously.

She knew it wasn't perfect, but she had done the best job she could.

She handed him the antibiotics, and the pain killers. "You need to take these," she said.

"Thanks," Daryl mumbled, still looking at her, as he unscrewed the lids on the bottles and popped the pills in to his mouth.

Focusing properly now, he noticed her left cheek was still stained with blood from where she had been struck.

"Here," he said, gently placing his index finger on the side of her face drawing it towards him so he could take a better look.

"It's nothing," Beth muttered shyly.

She'd tried to clean it up quickly in the bathroom, when she had been getting the water for Daryl's injury, not wanting to make a big deal of it when he had been hurt much worse. But she realized from the way he was looking at her that she hadn't done a very good job, she must look a state.

"Come here," he said in a soft voice, sweeping a loose strand of her blonde hair away from her eye, reaching for some cotton wool to wipe the remaining marks of blood away from her face.

The wound was nasty; it would bruise and more than likely leave a scar, he thought still examining it.

"What?" Beth asked a little anxiously suddenly feeling self conscious with the way he was looking at her, probably thinking how badly she had been disfigured.

"Nothing," Daryl muttered, his fingers still touching her face.

Not wanting to tell her what he was really thinking, that it wouldn't matter to him how many battle wounds she earned defending herself now, she would always be one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

Beth suddenly felt her face burning up, her eyes filling with tears, she didn't cry anymore she told herself, desperately trying to hold them back.

She was trying to be so brave, so strong. But there was just something about the way Daryl was touching her face that brought it all back. The sheer terror she had felt earlier at the hands of the claimed crew, how helpless and vulnerable she had been.

She could honestly say she had never been so scared in her entire life, and she had faced some terrifying situations since the start of the virus outbreak.

But the prospect of getting bit by a walker, or facing one of the governors bullets, was nothing compared to what she had known would have happened to her at the hands of that disgusting group of lowlife men.

Beth was still a virgin, but she was pretty sure she wouldn't have been after the claimed crew had finished with her. Losing her virginity was always something Beth had thought would be a big deal. Unlike some of her friends and her sister too, Beth had always had her heart set on it being special and waiting until marriage.

After the outbreak however, when it had become apparent that that kind of fairytale would be more and more unlikely, Beth had just settled for waiting for the 'right guy', someone that she at least loved and felt committed to.

Zach had pressurised her a little back at the prison to go all the way, but something had always held her back a little, never thinking it was quite the right time.

Ironically it had been the day he had been killed that she had decided she did want to sleep with him and finally lose her virginity. She had been waiting excitedly on her bunk for him to come back so she could tell him.

Only Zach never came back. Instead when Beth had looked up, sensing a presence in the doorway to her room, it had been Daryl that was stood there and not her boyfriend. It had been Daryl's arms she had fallen in to, trying to process yet another loss, as a deep relief washed over her that Daryl was still there. She still had him.

Ironically too, it was Daryl she was with now.

This time, it really was just the two of them, everyone else was gone.

There was something about being here with him now, that was starting to make her feel it was okay to cry, that she didn't have to be so strong all the time, and she felt a single tear slowly slide down her cheek.

He reached over, gently brushing the escaped tear away from her face with his thumb, looking deep in to her eyes.

"S'okay," he said gently. "You're safe now," he added, as if he could read her mind.

Beth nodded at hearing his kind words, and they seemed to open the floodgates to even more pent up tears. The shock of what had happened earlier, hitting her full on as they rolled down her pink cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

The last thing she wanted him to think, was that she was weak, a problem again. Crying in a world there was no place for crying.

Glancing back at the man that had saved her yet again, Beth suddenly felt full of emotion. She hadn't known him well back at the prison; she had admired him and crushed on him a little, more recently.

But she had never really got to know him. She had never noticed how deep his eyes were back then either, how they could express so profoundly what he couldn't say in words. They were kind, with a subtle softness to them that he tried to keep hidden most of the time, but they were also full of pain and sadness a lot of the time. He hadn't had an easy life.

He had always been so guarded, and could sometimes come across as cold, angry even. But Beth knew the truth about him, now more than ever. He was a good man, a great man, one of the best she had ever met. He displayed qualities that were so rare these days.

Daryl looked back at the young girl in front of him. She had had to endure so much hardship, so many losses in her short lifetime and he wished he could take the pain away from her.

He put his hand up to slowly rub her arm, a little awkwardly at first, before he found his rhythm. Comforting crying women was still a little alien to him.

"Best to let it all out," he said, his voice low, comforting in his own way, the best way he could.

Rubbing her moist eyes with her knuckles, Beth inched a little closer to him on the bed. And again she thought back to how vulnerable she had been just hours earlier, how sick and utterly repulsed she had felt when that animal's hands had been under her shirt, pawing at her bare skin.

She had been so close to losing everything to him. Losing the one thing she had been clinging on to the most in this world of darkness, she was now surrounded by.

Beth wasn't stupid, she knew bad things, terrible things even, were happening all around them. But she had been sheltered from it somewhat back at her father's farm and then under Rick's protection. But now, she knew she was more exposed. Daryl had once said it was only the bad people left. Beth would never buy in to that fully, but she was beginning to think more and more that he was right.

Daryl had been there for her today, but Beth knew there was a chance that he wouldn't always be able to protect her from the bad people. He had killed the predators in the 'claimed' crew, but with the world they way it was, Beth was more than aware that one day she could fall in to the hands of another group like that. And if she did, Beth didn't want them to be able to take from her, the one thing she had waited so long to give.

...

Daryl slowly slid his hand down Beth's arm from where he had been using it to comfort her seconds before, resting it on the bottom of her thigh at the top of her knee.

He opened his mouth to say something, before thinking better of it. There were a few things he wanted to say to the young blonde. They had both nearly lost their lives earlier that day, due in part to her naivety and he couldn't let that happen again. But he could see that now wasn't the time, she was clearly still visibly shaken and they both needed rest.

"I – I, don't know what I would have done without you," Beth whispered, biting her lip, glancing down at his lap.

As much as he knew he should move away at this point, Daryl stayed where he was sat next to her on the bed, the urge to comfort and protect her still very much alive. The run in with the claimed crew earlier had just reinforced his need to look out for her. She was so young and sweet and full of brightness, those assholes had nearly taken that away from her, from both of them and he would never allow that to happen again. She was his light, his reason to live now.

On many levels Beth seemed like his equal, but he had to remind himself she was just a girl still, not even out of her teens. He knew there was a very good chance she was still a virgin too, which would have been unheard of back where he came from. But Beth was pure and innocent, the type of girl that should be loved and treated with respect, that deserved a decent man. He knew that. He'd always known that.

"Main thing is you're okay," he mumbled, tilting his head and looking away from her, trying to ignore the way he knew she was looking at him.

Blinking a couple of times, mentally kicking himself, he glanced back in her direction, letting his gaze drop to her cleavage for a second before he turned away again.

Beth breathed in, taking a real comfort from the sensation of Daryl's hand on her knee. It felt so right, so natural. And in that moment she longed for him to touch her some more. Electricity shooting around her body, filling her with sexual awareness, she might never have actually had sex, but that didn't mean she hadn't thought about it, a lot. What it would feel like to be that close to someone. And suddenly something clicked.

Beth had always thought her first time would be special, Maggie had teased her, but she had dreamed of romantic music, satin sheets and rose petals. But the world was different now, everything had changed. None of that mattered anymore.

If she'd been nursing a slight crush on Daryl since the prison, she knew it had moved on to something a lot deeper now.

She loved him.

Beth felt certain of that, and she wanted to give herself to him, she wanted her first time to be with him. She needed it to be him.

He was her world now, a million miles away from the scum they had encountered earlier. She wanted to prove to him she wasn't a little girl anymore, that she could take her place in the new world.

She gulped, her breath speeding up, her heart beating loudly in her chest. Gently she moved her hand to rest by his side, her right leg moving to wrap around his slightly, as she shifted to face him.

Daryl frowned a little, his eyes half closed as he stared at her, "Beth," he said, his voice low, husky, almost kind of silent but just loud enough for her to hear.

Beth didn't say anything she just moved her hand up to grasp the back of his neck, feeling the ends of his hair tickling her skin as she pulled him closer to her. She knew she wanted to cross a line, one she was certain she wouldn't regret.

"Beth, Plea…" He started, unable to do anything to stop her as she moved herself even closer towards him.

Beth looked deep in to his dark blue eyes again, they were watching her every move. "Make love to me," she whispered boldly, blushing slightly, trembling.

He didn't move, unable to speak, hardly able to believe what she was saying.

They were both trembling now. Daryl wasn't sure if she really meant it. Whether, she was just getting carried away with the moment, or if it was what she really wanted.

"You don't have to, not now.." he said intensely, with a stare that could melt her heart.

But Beth knew nothing could stop her from wanting him now.

"Daryl, please, I want it to be _you_," she pleaded, pressing her forehead to his.

She wasn't sure where she had found the courage from, but nothing had felt so right to her.

Slowly, he lifted his hand up to lightly rest on the side of her chin, moving his head back so he could look at her, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. Her skin was so soft, so smooth. He knew what he wanted, but he also knew there was a line he couldn't see, but could damn well feel. If he crossed it there would be no going back…

**a/n - Thanks for reading! Please review :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Chapter 8**

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**A/N - Thanks again for all the reviews for last chapter. I was on the verge of abandoning this story, BUT, I just had to keep it going. I think you'll agree, what happened on the show was just not satisfactory, so I needed to write this! If you've seen season 4, then just bear in mind on the show something like this could have happened off screen, before she was taken, only Beth and Daryl would know! :) :)**

**WARNING - As promised at the start, this chapter is one that verges in to M territory! I have toned it down as much as I can, but just wanted to warn you first**. **Hope that is ok.**

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Beth continued to shake, looking at Daryl, openness and vulnerability written all over her pretty face.

Time felt like it was standing still. There was no taking back what she had just said, no walking away or pretending it hadn't happened, things would never be able to go back to the way they had been before.

She had said it. She had actually said those words, to Daryl Dixon.

Daryl was her only surviving friend now, a member of her old prison family and in more recent times her mentor and close companion too. He could appear moody and aloof a lot of the time, and he had always been more than a little rough around the edges. But he had looked out for Beth like a protective older brother.

But despite that, Beth couldn't deny there had always been something undeniably sexy about him. It wasn't just his strong muscular arms, together with his touch of manly stubble and the way his dishevelled hair fell over his eye. It was the dark, dangerous look he got, when he was determined to do something or fight for someone he cared about. He was the bad boy with a good heart.

Right now, he was so close to her, _so damn close. _

He was sat shirtless next to her on the bed, displaying all his tattoos and scars, dressed in just his trousers and socks, half naked from where she had fixed up his injured side just moments before.

He had one hand on her knee still, whilst the other was touching the side of her face. His eyes fixed on her, displaying a tenderness and warmth, along with a touch of concern, like he was debating something internally.

Beth wasn't stupid; she knew part of him would probably be thinking that it was just the reckless young girl in her coming out again. Similar to the time he had accused her of acting like a dumb college bitch, when she had been on a desperate hunt to find her first drink after the prison had fallen.

But that time hadn't only been about experiencing what it felt like to get wasted, before she inevitably became just another dead girl. It had been about a having a purpose, a reason to keep going.

This time was the same in a different way.

Beth wanted to lose her virginity, not just because she wanted to experience having sex before she died, but because it felt right. Like it was meant to be here, with Daryl. Not with Jimmy or Zach, or any other imaginary handsome stranger that probably didn't exist.

Daryl was the one.

He was here for her now and he was her future. She hoped he realized that too. Things had changed between them since the day he had yelled at her in the woods over her persistence to find alcohol. They had formed an unbreakable bond, a deeper closeness.

...

Daryl sucked in a breath, feeling blood rushing around him like a wildfire. He would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about touching her before, as far back as the prison even. When he had occasionally stolen small looks at her from afar, knowing it was unthinkable. She was Beth.

But back then there had been far more pressing issues to get to grips with. He had successfully pushed any type of physical desires he may have had to one side, his and the rest of their group's survival, always being his number one priority.

But here now, everyone they knew was gone. Possibly forever. There really was nothing to focus on anymore, except him and Beth.

The beautiful young blonde girl that had shone some much needed light and hope on to his miserable existence. The girl he had nearly died protecting earlier that day. That had to mean something. It couldn't have all been for nothing.

He stayed still, glued to the spot as if paralysed. He'd never had any kind of game with women, not like his brother. He didn't have the confidence.

Daryl was never going to be the kind of guy that threw a girl up against a tree in the moonlight. Whenever he had been around a girl he had liked, Daryl had always said and done the wrong thing, and it was awkward as hell.

But with Beth it was different. Everything was different.

He didn't actually know when it had started, but he knew something had been there building under the surface since they had been alone together. Possibly even longer.

He'd kept the beginnings of it buried, even to himself. She was off limits. First as Hershel's youngest daughter, then as a friend and member of his survival group, and now most recently for her innocence; which had always been there, but now that it had floated up and been exposed, his feelings for her were larger than he was ready for.

Beth waited anxiously as her words hung in the air. She hoped like hell he wouldn't pull away. Tell her it was a bad idea.

Instead his face remained sober, but there was a glimmer in his eye, giving her hope.

"Beth," he simply said, his voice low and husky, slowly edging a little closer to her, giving her enough time to move if she wanted to.

She didn't move. Not even flinch. He moved his hand from her knee to her hip, the feel of his fingertips running over her body sending electricity shooting through her. And then, his eyes still glimmering with the same look, he leaned in to kiss her, tangling his other hand in her messy hair as his lips brushed hers.

The kiss was surprizingly soft and patient, causing Beth to instantly remember exactly how it felt to have his mouth on hers again.

His hand pressed down gently on her pelvis. But instead of roughly bringing her hips forward, he just stroked the curve of her waist with his thumb.

His lips continued to brush gently over hers, for one long free floating moment as he remained patient and undemanding.

Beth sighed slightly, quickly becoming more desperate to give herself to him, a surge of arousal buzzing around her. Daryl shifted, his touch still light, but his lips caressing hers somehow more intimately as he pulled away.

"If you want me to stop," he whispered against her lips, "Just say so," he let his hand fall from her face to the nape of her neck, his eyes burning in to hers.

"I won't," Beth whispered back, her face flushed with more arousal, trembling with nerves and excitement.

He moved his hands to the bottom of her damp t-shirt, slowly pulling it up and over her head. Aware he was trembling now too.

She had saved her virginity, probably for true love, he thought, whatever the hell that was. But seeing as the whole goddamn world had gone to shit, it was on him now to try and make it resemble something special. He thought back to a few days ago, how he hadn't been about to let her have peach snappes for her first drink, and right now he wasn't about to let her first time having sex be a cheap and nasty experience either.

He fumbled with the clasp on her bra, gently tugging the straps over her petite pale shoulders, revealing her perfect small breasts.

Letting his eyes wander her body, he thought how naturally gorgeous she was, how effortlessly attractive. Feeling his own body stir, he was suddenly aware of how much he'd wanted her and for how long. and he lost his breath.

After another brief moment of hesitation, he kissed her again.

Her lips parted as she kissed him back. He still didn't push but this time there was a little more urgency, before the pressure quickly became more hard and passionate. Beth tipped her head to allow him better access to her mouth and his heart leapt at her trust, her willingness and he let his hand wander to the waist of her jeans, his fingers travelling inside, pulling her hips to his.

As her pelvis connected to his, they both felt a flutter of excitement, Beth letting out a small moan.

Worried that it was too much too soon, Daryl broke apart for a second, pulling back to gauge the expression on her face, he didn't want to rush her. But within seconds her lips were connected to his again. Taking this to mean she wasn't too overwhelmed, Daryl pushed her back on to the bed, her long blonde hair fanning the pillow as it fell out of it's messy ponytail.

Taking great pains to ensure he continued to be gentle and careful, he found himself undoing the button to her jeans, sliding them off as his strong rough hands made contact with her bare skin, causing her to moan quietly again. She then reached up to undo his flies, wrestling a little with his trousers as he helped her tug them off, tossing them to the floor.

He bent his head down to place light feather like kisses on her neck, still not pressurising, or hurrying, just trying to tell her without words that he was there, that he wanted to be there with her and he wanted her to be sure.

Beth felt herself sinking back on to the bed, the mattress was soft and comfortable and she sighed inwardly as she felt Daryl's hot breath on her neck. This might not have been exactly how she had imagined her first time would be, but really was anything turning out how she had imagined it would now?

Gripping the back of Daryl's shaggy dark hair, she felt her body tense with a rush of pleasure, this was what she wanted, she felt sure of that. There was a reason she was here with Daryl now and not her previous boyfriends, he was a survivor, a man not a boy.

She might never have dreamed, back when Daryl had first appeared at the farm, that they would be doing this. That she would be here with him, when everyone else was gone. But she was, and it melted her heart every time she thought about how brave and protective he was. It was just the two of them now, she was alive because of him and she wanted to give him something back. She lifted her right leg up slightly, wrapping it around his waist as he trailed kisses down her neck.

Beth wondered when he had last had sex, she had never seen him with any females in that way. She'd often wondered if he thought about it, or needed it. She knew what most guys were like, but he'd always seemed more reserved, more uncomfortable with the opposite sex than other men. But right now it was obvious he knew what he was doing, Beth thought, blushing slightly, as she felt him pressing down on top of her, his fingers moving to remove her underwear. His touch was so tentative, but so skilled at the same time as he allowed his fingers to explore her. Making her gasp out in pleasure.

Beth's breath quickened, her pulse thumping furiously around her body as she realized she didn't feel nervous or anxious. She had always thought that she would. She'd imagined her first time would be awkward and she'd feel uptight and insecure. But with Daryl, she felt none of those things.

She knew him so well now. They'd survived together, since the prison, in some pretty rough conditions, having to squeeze in to the smallest places to keep out of the sight of walkers and huddle together at night purely for warmth and survival. But now he was so close to her in a different way.

He moved slowly, as she parted her legs further for him. And she gasped out, as she finally felt him inside her.

...

"You okay?" He whispered in her ear.

All Beth could do was nod and shudder as a smile formed on her lips, feeling a rush of security at his words. Her eyes half shut and hazy, losing herself in the moment. Content and happy, in the knowledge if she died tomorrow they would have this night to remember forever.

**A/N - Thanks for reading, if you have time I would love to hear what you think ;)**


	9. Chapter 9

Beth glanced out of the window, taking in the gentle glow of the early morning sun, her favourite time of day, even now. It always seemed so beautifully, calm and peaceful.

She was sat up in bed, hugging her knees to her chest, her long blonde hair falling loosely around her shoulders and down her back in soft waves, dressed only in her faded pink panties and blood splattered t shirt.

She glanced across at Daryl lying next to her in the bed, his heavy breathing indicating he was still sleeping. Normally she would hurry to make herself look more presentable as soon as she woke, tying her hair back, ensuring she was fully dressed before he saw her. But that kind of seemed a little redundant now. Seeing as he'd seen her completely naked for the first time the previous night.

_The previous night!_

Just thinking about what had happened then, made Beth smile dreamily. A warmth spreading inside her. As she mentally re-traced every moment of what had unexpectedly turned in to one of the most memorable nights of her life. The dull ache between her legs, reminding her she had most certainly not dreamed it.

Beth hadn't been entirely sure what she had expected, but Daryl was most certainly a dark horse when it came to getting physically intimate. He had always acted a little awkward around women, giving off an inexperienced and slightly indifferent vibe. On first impressions, Beth would have been willing to bet Daryl would have been an inconsiderate lover too, selfish and aloof. As she had got to know him better, her opinion of him had shifted. But Beth still would have presumed that sex with him would most likely be brief, that he would be distant, possibly a little cold.

Instead, being with him had been immensely passionate and he had been patient, gentle and affectionate, taking great pains to make sure she was okay throughout. Thinking about it sent a delicious shiver up and down Beth's spine.

She knew it was wrong on some levels, to feel on a high when such bad things were happening around them. When they had no idea what had happened to their friends. They were missing, possibly dead.

Beth herself had nearly lost her life the previous day too, a fact she most certainly hadn't forgotten.

But in those first few peaceful moments, watching the sunrise, Beth wanted to feel happy for once, to experience the rush of being in love, of being loved, if that was what she could be so bold as to presume was happening between her and Daryl.

"You okay?" She heard Daryl mumble sleepily beside her.

She looked across to see him nearly awake, looking at her through half open eyes.

Feeling herself blushing a little, Beth nodded, as she let out a quiet, "Uh-huh," in response.

"You sleep?" He asked, reaching over to gently touch her arm with his hand.

This was something Daryl seemed to ask her every morning when he woke. But Beth noted the way that he said it on this particular morning was subtly different. It seemed less forced, more intimate, as he allowed his touch to linger just a little longer than would normally have been appropriate.

Beth had been a little apprehensive about how Daryl would react when he woke. Whether he would be weird with her again, confused and awkward. But judging from his body language, that didn't seem to be the case. she thought with relief.

It felt almost as though he had accepted that things between them had naturally moved on. His eyes were different too, seeming less guarded and troubled, more relaxed, possibly even showing a hint of happiness, so rare for him.

"A little," she responded, turning to face him, smiling.

Truth being she hadn't slept that much. When she had finally managed to quiet her mind enough to fall in to a light sleep, she'd dreamed she was back in the woods, pinned to the tree with a knife to her throat, surrounded by the same group of men they had killed; with Daryl no-where in sight. She had woken with a start, relief flooding through her remembering where she was, she was safe and Daryl was right there sleeping next to her, and bit by bit it had all come back to her. Every last delicious detail. Making her smile.

"You was mumblin a bit, cryin out and shit," he said, his face unable to hide the slight concern appearing on it.

Wondering at first whether she should keep her bad dream to herself, looking at Daryl's face, Beth caved in, saying quietly, "Dreamed I was back there, in the woods… and stuff."

"Oh," was all he responded, understanding what she meant. A little relieved that her cries in the middle of the night had been unrelated to him directly, but also worried that their previous encounter with the claimed crew seemed to be playing on her mind so heavily still.

He wanted to say something further, but he couldn't seem to find the right words. Instead he just kept his eyes on her, noticing something about her appearance had changed. Her hair wasn't tied up like normal. He liked it like that, loose and tumbling down her back, she so seldom wore it down, probably wasn't practical he thought, but it made her look different, older; sexy even. A word he would not have liked to associate with her before he had made love to her.

"What?" She asked, noticing the way he was looking at her, like he was studying her, making her feel self conscious all of a sudden.

"Nothin," he mumbled, looking away, moving to prop himself up slightly, groaning with the impact of the sudden movement on his injured side.

"Oh shit, I aint even asked how you are?" Beth was quick to exclaim, a guilty look flashing across her flushed cheeks, glancing down at the dressing on his side now stained with dried blood.

She'd been so wrapped up in what she'd been thinking that it had escaped her mind completely that he had been hurt.

"Fine," he grunted, waving his hand.

Luckily the blade hadn't managed to go in too far in the midst of all the struggling and wrestling that had taken place in the fight between him and the leader of the 'claimers' in the woods the day before. Daryl knew he had been lucky, that it would most likely heal up okay, leaving him with just another scar to add to his collection of many, but that didn't stop it hurting like a bitch right now, not that he would let that on to Beth.

"Here," Beth said, reaching down to pick up and pass him the bottle of amoxicillin they'd been lucky enough to find in the house.

"Thanks," he replied, his eyes very briefly fleeting over her petite half dressed figure, before unscrewing the lid and popping another pill in to his mouth. He'd wanted to insist they saved them, but thought better of it, the last thing either of them needed right now was for him to develop a nasty infection.

Beth watched intensely as he tossed the bottle down beside him, before turning to peel at the edges of his dressing cautiously. He was still shirtless, but he'd been quick to put his socks and trousers back on the night before, right before they'd gone to sleep. Always on the alert for having to act fast and move quickly should he need to.

"You want me to take a look?" Beth asked, shuffling slightly closer to him.

"I got it," he replied, brushing her off.

Beth knew there was little point arguing with him. He may have let her clean and suture it for him the night before, but he was stubborn and proud, he wouldn't like the thought of having to rely on anyone else, not even her.

"Well, I'll go and find us something to eat then," she said, sliding off the bed, glancing around for her jeans to see they were still lying on the floor in a soggy mud splattered heap.

She picked them up, throwing them over the back of the bed to dry, she could try and brush the mud off later, she thought.

She turned to make her way downstairs, dressed in just her t-shirt and underwear still. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Daryl still fiddling with his dressing on the bed. Leaving the room she sensed his eyes had shifted to her, watching her as she walked out of the door.

Slowly, cautiously, Beth made her way down the staircase, stepping lightly on the cold wood of the stairs. She was pretty certain they were alone, but there was something about their new temporary home that still made her feel a little on edge. It remained a mystery to them who had lived there.

Once in the kitchen, Beth opened all the cupboards again, still amazed at how much food there was remaining. Despite them stocking up on nearly all the imperishable supplies they could find when they had first discovered the place, she just seemed to be uncovering more and more food items, there was certainly enough to keep them going for a good few weeks, months even if they were careful enough.

Taking out some cans of pears, beans and tomatoes, ready to take upstairs, Beth was hit with an uneasy feeling again, she just couldn't shake the feeling that there was someone watching her.

Pulling at the hem of her t-shirt, suddenly feeling a little exposed with her state of undress, she glanced over to the window, half expecting one of the 'claimers' ugly leering faces to appear, causing her to shiver and look away. She was being ridiculous, she thought. They were all dead, shot through the head. They couldn't come back, not even as walkers.

She then stated to feel anxious for a different reason. She had seen the look on Daryl's face when she had confessed about her nightmare, she probably should have kept her mouth shut. She didn't want him to think, that after everything they'd been through she was just going to fall to pieces over one near miss with a group of other survivors, especially scum like that. She needed to be tough now. That was the only way she would survive. Because she _would_ survive, she was determined of that now, more than ever.

Opening the final cupboard she saw that it was empty apart from one large family size bag of potato chips.

Confused, she just looked at it for a moment doing a double take before touching it. She had been certain that they had taken all the packets of chips already when they had first found the place. Daryl must have put one back she thought, reaching out to grab it, tucking it under her arm as she was hit with another strange sensation that she wasn't alone in the big silent room.

Balancing the remaining cans and a bottle of water in her hands, Beth was about to turn around to go back upstairs to Daryl, when she suddenly heard a crashing sound, a bag of dried pasta perched next to her on the worktop falling to the floor, causing her to take a sharp intake of breath, her heart leaping out of her chest, a couple of tins of food flying out of her hands making even more noise, her senses fully alerted, before she noticed a flash of black fur appearing beside her on the worktop and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Cat," she exclaimed, "You scared the life outta me," remembering the little friend she and Daryl had picked up, it had probably sneaked in to the house with them, when they had got back the night before.

"Here," she said in a softer tone, opening the lid to a can of tuna fish.

Glancing cautiously around her, she placed it down on to the floor, as the kitten hungrily dived in, quickly wolfing down mouthfuls.

"Slow down, you're gonna make yourself sick, little thing," Beth said, lightly stroking its fur with her fingers; thinking how it was all skin and bones as it purred loudly in a comforting way .

Moving to gather up the other fallen cans from the floor, packing the rest of the food items in to her arms again, ensuring to balance them carefully. Beth took one last tentative look around, before darting out of the room, the place was really starting to give her the creeps.

"Got us breakfast," Beth announced, entering the bedroom again.

Throwing the stuff down on to the bed, she noticed Daryl hadn't strayed from the position he'd been in when she'd left him.

Sat up with his back against the head board, his shirt was back on now and his feet were stretched out in front of him, lounging almost. It was an unusual sight. She had fully expected him to be up and dressed ready to start another day, he rarely allowed himself the luxury of resting like this, even back at the prison, it had always been as though he had felt he needed to be busying himself with one thing or another, taking it upon himself to be strong for everyone else, making plans and doing whatever needed to be done.

He didn't say anything, just nodded at her, reaching for a can.

"This place is weird, creepy," Beth said, digging out a forkful of tomatoes from the can on her lap, peering at him through her long eyelashes.

"It's a funeral home," he shrugged, concentrating on shovelling mouthfuls of canned pears in to his mouth.

"I know," she replied, not wanting to elaborate further on her experience in the kitchen and the funny feeling she'd had.

"Aint the dead you need to fear now, it's the livin," he mumbled, holding the empty can up to slurp the syrup from the bottom.

She didn't say anything, she hadn't really expected him to say anything different. Turning to her side, she dropped her head on to the pillow, allowing her eyes to half close. She was exhausted still.

Dropping down on to his side again too, Daryl found himself pressing his tired aching body up against Beth's a little more than he had been used to previously. Breathing out in to her neck, enjoying the feel of her soft blonde hair against his face, loosely wrapping his arms around her waist. He might be nearing on mental and physical exhaustion, but right now his body was satisfied and for the first time in a long while he felt an emotion that could pass as happiness.

He wouldn't have dreamed of touching Beth back in the old world, back at the prison even.

The thought of becoming intimate with anyone, especially her, would have been out of the question. That wasn't to say subconsciously it hadn't been on his mind. He'd made wisecracks about her romantic involvement with Zach, but looking back he could see there was almost a very small hint of jealousy behind it.

Not because he had wanted Beth for himself exactly, but more because on some level if he'd stopped and really thought about it, he'd somehow wanted to feel that closeness to someone, that small piece of happiness in their dark world. Instead of existing just for the sake of it, all the time.

But now, Beth was his for the taking and he knew things could never go back to the way that they had been before, the line had been crossed. Their lives changed irrevocably.

It was him and Beth now, the two of them against the world.

"Bout yesterday, what happened, in the woods and stuff," he started, speaking slowly, cautiously, it was a conversation he'd been putting off having.

"I don't wanna talk bout that no more." Her voice was quiet, girly even.

"Well there's a few things you need to hear," he persisted, the words disappearing in to her back.

He couldn't see her face but he knew she was listening.

"Cause you nearly got yourself killed there… Going up to em like that, it was real stupid, you nearly got us _both_ killed, cause I would have lost control. I swear to God, Beth, if they'd done anything to you, I'd…." He trailed off, before adding, "You don't know what guys like that are like, that's all…."

"I know what they're like, Daryl," she exclaimed, her eyes fully open again now, staring straight in front of her at the wall.

"No, you don't, not really, the things they'd do to you."

"They're dead," she protested.

"Yes, they're dead. But there are others like em out there that aint.. and well I aint always gonna be able to protect you from em. So, you ever see any other people that look like that, whether you're with me or not, you do one thing. _Run_. You hear me, you run as fast as you can." He stopped to take a breath, his tone deadly serious, "You run, got it?"

Beth slowly nodded a quiet, "Yep," in response.

As much as she wanted to protest some more, she knew he had a point, and she'd probably deserved that.

Maybe she had needed a 'run in' with bad people, like the one she'd had the day before, to shake her up. Toughen up her instincts. But even so the thought of running anywhere, without Daryl, would be unthinkable to Beth.

Daryl didn't say anything further, he was done.

Instead, he took a second to relish in the moment. He knew they couldn't stay as they were forever, but for now it was needed. He was in no fit state to be doing much physical stuff and Beth was exhausted, he could see that. They'd been walking for days, with little food or shelter. They had food here and a comfortable bed. Each other.

Beth could feel her limbs becoming heavy again, it might be the middle of the day, but she was ready to blissfully doze off once again.

Daryl loosened his grip around her waist, his fingers stroking her hip bone, re-positioning himself so that his foot kicked back against what was left of the pile of food at the bottom of the bed, a rustling sound catching his attention.

Glancing down he noticed a bright red and yellow label, "You save some chips?" He questioned, confused, focusing in on the writing displayed on the label of the large packet.

"Wha?," she mumbled dreamily in to her pillow.

"You save the chips?" He repeated, louder this time. Maybe he had got mixed up and there had been more packets than he'd thought.

"They were in the cupboard. You didn't put them back in there?" she asked, spinning round to fully face him, her eyes wide and alert now, fully awake.

"No…no," he responded, as their eyes met, mirroring the same puzzled, shocked expression.

Beth had been right, there was most definitely something slightly strange going on here.

**A/N - Thanks for reading. Please leave some feedback if you can :)**


	10. Chapter 10

"I think they're still out there somewhere," Beth said to Daryl, almost a little dreamily as she popped another corn chip in to her mouth.

He ignored her at first, before grunting a small response, his eyes down focused on the task of oiling and tightening his beloved crossbow.

They were sat on the steps leading up to the entrance of the funeral home, the home they had commandeered as their own for the time being, having offered them shelter and relative safety from the darkness growing all around them.

Beth's head was rested on Daryl's shoulder lazily as she gazed out in front of her. There wasn't much to see; a road, some gravestones beyond that, then a little further in to the distance, the edge to the woods they had trekked so hopelessly through during their first few desperate days alone together.

"I'm just sure Maggies still alive," she continued, her eyes wide and hopeful.

She hadn't give her missing sister as much thought as perhaps she should have done recently, Beth thought, hitting her with a small pang of painful emotion as she looked out on to the bleak unknown.

Daryl put his crossbow down on the ground beside him. He sniffed, rubbing the side of his nose, tilting his head in her direction, looking at her through the edges of his long hair, trying to think of the best thing to say.

A part of him agreed with her, there was still a chance that some of their friends were still alive, surviving just as they were.

There had been people getting on the bus. Maggie, Glenn, Rick, Carl, Michonne, they could all easily have ended up on it. And if not, he knew they were survivors, they had made it this far so he would like to think they would have found a way out somehow, just like he had.

But Daryl was also a realist; he had seen the force the Governor had used to attack them back at the prison. There had to be a chance that not everyone would have made it. Not everyone would have been as lucky as they had been.

He didn't want to totally crush Beth's bubble though, memories of the angry way he had addressed her in their earlier days together still hitting him with pulses of guilt.

"She's a tough one," he replied, reaching over to lightly touch her hand. Before moving away from her, standing up, swinging his crossbow over his back.

Beth looked up, examining his face.

He looked healthier and more alive than he had done in weeks. His hair and clothes were clean, he still had a touch of stubble but his cheeks had more colour in them, the bags under his eyes were fading and his eyes were brighter, less haunted they had more of a spark to them.

"Well, guess I'll be off then," he said, pressing his lips together, watching her nodding back at him as he gathered his things ready for a hunting trip.

He didn't want to make too big a deal out of the fact this was the first day either of them had ventured properly outside the grounds to their temporary home, and also the first time they had spent any real time apart from each other since their prison escape.

They had rested for over a week in the empty house, after their last traumatic journey out, resulting in them both narrowly cheating death at the hands of the men they had eventually managed to kill themselves.

It hadn't exactly been a conscious decision to stay put. But neither of them seemed to have found the desire or need to vocalise it. It had remained unspoken between them.

They had been comfortable and contented, and the days had somehow rolled in to a week.

They had been caught up in their own little world, just the two of them in the strange old funeral home. They'd had enough food, a comfortable bed and each other. Not since the start of the outbreak, had they felt so relaxed, a little dazed still, but relaxed none the less, and happy. Not realising how desperately they had needed to pause and take some time out, some place where they felt relatively safe.

Daryl had also needed time to allow his wound to heal and regain his strength fully. Now that he felt fitter and healthier by the day, he was itching to get outdoors again, to do what he did best and track down something more appealing for them to eat besides tinned tomatoes and peaches.

"I'll be back before dark fall," he reassured, looking at her intently, stopping what he was doing to take a step towards her again.

Beth chewed on her thumbnail, breaking in to small smile, her eyes reflecting the natural light, "I know," she replied.

Their eyes locked, Daryl's eyes widening as though he was about to say something further. Instead he simply swooped down to her level where she was sat on the step still, kissing her tenderly on her forehead, loose whips of her blonde hair tickling his cheeks as he repositioned himself to stand back up.

"Aint ya going to kiss me properly?" Beth asked, with a flirty smile, causing the small dimples on both her cheeks to appear fully as she stood up too, to face him.

Not so long ago that kind of talk would have made Daryl uncomfortable. But now, any hang ups either of them may have had about starting an intimate relationship with each other had vanished along with the rest of their old survival family.

Beth was the best thing to happen to Daryl in a long time, he could see that now that he had finally found the courage to face up to what he was feeling and what had been subtly developing between them. He didn't think anyone had ever looked at him the way that she did.

His lips twitched in to a smile.

He wrapped his muscular arms around her neck, drawing her in closer to him, crashing their lips together, both feeling the emotional connection that had been building up over the past week. Everything seeming to fade away, except for them. Sparks flying.

Needing to catch their breath, they pulled back.

"Beth," Daryl's gruff voice said softly, tucking behind her ear, a few strands of flyway hair gently blowing in the breeze.

She looked at him expectantly, sensing what he was about to say was important.

He looked away for a second and cleared his throat, "Whatever happens I'll be back, whatever happens I'm with you," he said, looking deeply in to her eyes.

She felt a small lump form in her throat, along with the threat of a few tears. He had shown her in so many ways, how much he cared, but now that he had simply voiced those feelings she was simply overcome by emotion. She knew how difficult it was for him to be so open.

"I love you, Daryl Dixon," she said, the words rolling off her tongue, unplanned, effortlessly.

"Love you too," he responded, nearly at the same time, in a voice so low it was almost a whisper, his breath hot against her neck.

He kissed her again, with just the right mix of passion and tenderness.

She clung to him, caressing the back of his head, burying her fingers in his long scraggly hair breathing in his scent. Then she rested her head on his shoulder, smiling, feeling in that moment insanely happy.

…..

Alone in the house, Beth was happily humming a tune, writing in her journal. Her blonde ponytail falling over her face and spilling on to the page.

She had kept a journal sporadically ever since the beginning of the outbreak. It had helped her keep some sort of sense of normality, especially in the early days. But not since those first few bleak days on the road with Daryl, had she found the time or motivation to pick up a pen and put her thoughts in to written words until they had found sanctuary in their current home.

She wasn't exactly thrilled at being alone here, but she knew Daryl needed to go out hunting alone, he was fast and skilled and she would only slow him down.

They were both pretty much back to full strength, their luxury of a weeks rest in an actual bed as comfortable as the one here, being more than either had experienced or expected since the days of the farm.

The place was still a little creepy to Beth, but with the distraction of having Daryl for company she had successfully managed to curb a lot of her nerves and uneasiness about it over the past few days. Now being alone again, they were quickly starting to creep back. Although she wasn't exactly alone Beth thought, glancing to her side to see a small furry black face nudging in to the side of her journal.

"Lucky," she said, smiling, as she felt the vibrations of the little cat purring against the back of her hand as she reached out to touch her.

Daryl had said not to give her a name, Beth knew he didn't want them to get too attached to the kitten, but Beth couldn't help but feel that ever since she had shown up the cat had brought them nothing but good luck.

Pushing her away from her page, Beth sighed, chewing the end of her pen, trying to distract herself some more by adding to her latest written entry.

Daryl would be back soon before sunset, and when he returned things would go back to how they had been for the past few days, Beth thought with a smile, warming her up inside as she mentally went over the last week in her head.

It was hard to put in to words exactly how Daryl had made her feel. They had been thrown together under the worst imaginable circumstances. For a while she had not thought that anything more than basic friendship and companionship would be possible between them.

But out of the darkness, they had somehow managed to find a connection, something good, something worth living for, something to make all their struggles seem worthwhile. She'd gone from admiring him from afar, but only knowing the most basic things about him back at the prison, to understanding him in a way she had never thought she could, intimately, completely.

He didn't say a lot to her, even now, but what he could convey with a simple look or touch of his hand meant just as much.

The days had been taken up lying around together, eating and drinking, getting small fires going, swapping the occasional story. It had been casual and low-key compared to their lives both back at the prison and on the road. Here, they could have been any couple on a trip away together.

The nights they had spent exploring each others bodies, both having discovered a new found appetite for the physical pleasures they could provide each other with, in making love.

Beth wondered if it this was what it felt like to be married, to feel so closely bonded to another person, their presence next to you each night feeling so natural. Her heart began to race, as a new swarm of butterflies hit her, as she thought back to their last night together, describing in her neat hand writing, how after they had made love they had both laid there quietly for a few moments together.

_'Daryl held my face with both hands, pulling me close. He was so affectionate, I never would have thought he would be capable of something like that, back in the early days. I wanted to ask him then, in that moment, what we should do next, where we should go. But something held me back, because a part of me just wants to enjoy the little things, before they're gone forever.'_

As she continued to scribble her thoughts down on to the page in front of her, Beth felt a shiver run across her, wrapping her hooded sweater a little tighter around herself she licked her lips and glanced around. Noticing the sky outside was suddenly starting to turn a shade of dark grey. Daryl would be back soon.

She suddenly sat up straight, hearing what she swore was the creak of a floorboard, looking around for the cat, she saw it had disappeared just as she heard another creak, this time louder and more defined.

'_Stupid cat'_, Beth thought, silently willing Daryl to hurry up and come back.

After everything she had experienced recently she didn't spook easily, but she would feel happier if he was back here with her. She flinched, hearing another creak, followed by what she felt certain was the sound of a door opening and steady rhythmical footsteps.

_Bang bang bang!_

She felt another shiver running straight down her spine, her breath increasing with every footstep she heard. Hoping and praying it was Daryl, she tiptoed across the room, pressing her back against the wall as the noise of the footsteps echoed around her. She closed her eyes for a second. Opening them, she saw the door to the room edging open, black boots appearing.

She looked up to see the silhouette of a figure around Daryl's height. Breathing a small sigh of relief, she took a step closer, about to shout out to him.

But looking across some more, Beth's heart nearly stopped, her hand flying up to her mouth as a thick mop of grey hair came in to view and she realised with horror, _it wasn't Daryl!_

_**A/N - Thanks for reading! Please leave a review if you have time. I didn't mean for this story to become so creepy it was originally just meant to be Beth &amp; Daryl at the funeral home lol!, but it is kind of writing itself after an idea I had from reading an interview with one of the shows writers.**_


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N - It's been playing on my mind, that I really needed to update this story! It's really close to my heart as it was my first TWD fanfiction! So, I apologise to anyone still following, and really hope you like this chap :) **

Daryl had to face it, game hunting was in his veins. He found the thrill of the chase and catch, exciting, challenging and rewarding and it had provided him with many a tasty meal, both before and after the virus outbreak. He was a traditional bowhunter and his heart still skipped a beat whenever he drew back his crossbow to fire at something real and moving, something within reach that he could claim as his own.

He had to admit to himself, that he never felt as free as he did in the outdoors. Being out in the big wide open, breathing in the fresh natural air. With nothing but the rustle of the trees and the sound of the occasional twittering of the birds overhead, for company.

….

Creeping slowly and carefully, with perfect precision, all his sense alerted, Daryl's eyes were scanning the branches and bushes around him, for any visible signs of life. He was out looking to catch some real meat to take back for him and Beth.

_Him and Beth!_

The sound of that still amazed him. It really was just the two of them now. Alone in their fucked up world. Everyone else gone.

He wouldn't have thought it possible at the start. Back when he'd been dark and sullen, barely able to bring himself to utter a single word to her after the prison had fallen.

But once they had stumbled across the seemingly uninhabited mortuary, their new temporary home, and were finally able to relax. He had surprised himself even when he had told her he had thought they could build a life together. Buying in to her dream of finding something good.

Now, more than ever, Daryl was starting to believe that could be the case. That they could build a life together. Him and Beth.

The past week, spent at the funeral home, had felt more like a year to Daryl. Everything had changed.

He couldn't be further now from the hardened, broken and miserable man, that he had been at first, after the Governor had destroyed their old life.

Right now, Daryl felt fitter and healthier than he had done in a very long time. He felt, alive, thriving and fully satisfied.

He hadn't realised, what being with someone, the way he had been with Beth for the past week, could do to a person. It wasn't just the physical side to it. The regular sex, which just seemed to be getting better and better, the more they got to know each other's bodies. It was the feeling that he wasn't alone in the world anymore.

In some capacity Daryl had felt alone his whole life. Even back at the prison, there had been times when he had felt disconnected to everyone. But now, he was no longer alone, he had Beth. Sweet Beth.

He wasn't quite sure what this thing between them now was, or quite how it had started. They had gone from being friends, to lovers. Despite his better judgement he had given in to her.

_It felt good._

He never would have dreamed of touching her back when they were around the rest of their group. When her father had still been alive. When she'd had boyfriends her own age.

Things were different now. He had thought he would have felt weird about being with her in that way, like he was taking advantage, or something.

But he didn't. It just felt right.

He wasn't sure exactly how old she was. He guessed around 18 or 19. But he knew one thing. She was a woman now. His woman.

The way she responded to his touch. Together with the gaze of those goddam big dreamy blue eyes of hers, following his every move. It did things to Daryl, things he hadn't even thought possible.

…..

He shuddered, looking up at the sky. It would be getting dark soon. He needed to get back to her. It wasn't like before, when he had left to go hunting back at the prison. There had been a whole group back then. A place with secure walls and weapons. A leader. Now Beth was relying solely on him, Daryl thought.

Making his way back along the same route he had come, Daryl thought back to what Beth had been saying earlier. About finding the rest of their group. In many ways, there was nothing Daryl wanted more than to meet up with Rick and the others again. They were good people, their people, and there was safety in numbers. They'd have a better chance that way.

But Daryl also knew, things would inevitably have to change somewhat between him and Beth, if they were around the others again. For that reason alone, he wasn't in a rush to start chasing after their ghosts.

He had meant in when he had said to Beth he thought they could stick around here for a while longer. The idea had seemed a little crazy at the time he had said it, until things had just naturally developed. Now, as much as it made him sad to think of their old friends, it would seem crazy to him, to do anything but stay put here with Beth.

….

The natural light was fading fast as the funeral home came in to sight. Daryl found himself quickening his pace as his made his way back to the front door.

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting but the place looked eerily quiet. Beth was probably busying herself with something indoors he told himself. Of course she had to keep a low profile so as not to attract any un-wanted attention.

Walking up the steps, he was suddenly hit with the feeling that something wasn't quite right. He felt something brushing at his legs. He looked down to see black fur and bright green eyes.

"What you doing out here? Huh," he muttered to the little cat, they seemed to have adopted.

The cat let a small mewing sound, it's eyes fixed intently on Daryl's face.

"You trying tell me soothing, girl?" He grunted, looking at the little feline curiously. "Where's Beth?" He asked, shuffling forwards and inside the house. Concerned she hadn't come out to greet him.

Indoors, he was met with more silence, as he glanced around, remaining quiet. Something told him not to shout out.

Walking further inside. He could make out the sound of a voice, _voices even. _

One sounded like Beth. They were coming from the kitchen.

Moving quickly now, he darted to the kitchen door. Edging it open, he could tell it was definitely Beth's voice. But she didn't sound distressed, instead it sounded like she was laughing.

He opened the door fully, to see Beth was sat in there. She looked up at him smiling, as he stood in the doorway.

"You're back," she gushed.

"Yeah," Daryl replied suspiciously, his eyes moving curiously over to where an older guy with gray hair was sat next to Beth.

"This is Jeff, he lives here," Beth quickly explained.

"You must be Daryl," Jeff said, putting his hand up to his mouth to cough loudly. "Care to tell me what you're doing in my home?"

Daryl was lost for words for a second, looking from the stranger to Beth, then back to the older man again. A deep scowl forming on his face.

"You been watching us?" He said, his voice low and rough.

Beth's lips twitched up in to a nervous smile, "It's okay, Daryl. Jeff used to own this place, before the change. He worked here with his family, as funeral directors," she explained.

"That's right," Jeff interrupted, addressing a stony faced Daryl. "Before the world went to hell, this was my business. Now, I go out there to gather the dead when I can, bring them back here to give them a decent send off. Just like I used to in the old world."

"I think it's beautiful," Beth exclaimed.

Daryl furrowed his brown and grimaced, remembering the day they had arrived here, and they had found dead bodies down in the mortuary with funeral makeup on. He had presumed whomever had done it, would have come back by now and with everything else that had happened, he had put it to the back of his mind.

"You here alone?" he asked the older man.

"Used to run this place with my wife and two sons. Now it's just me," Jeff replied sombrely.

"Wh-where are they?" Beth stammered, already knowing the answer.

"Buried out the back," the old man replied sadly.

"I'm sorry," Beth said, her wide blue eyes blinking.

"Best place for em…" Jeff responded. "This world is no place for them now."

"Where you getting all the stuff?" Daryl cut in, questioning the old man gruffly.

Jeff broke in to a small smile. "I'm not as stupid as I look. They said I was crazy, but I saw all this coming a long time ago. The day the world was going to hell. So, I prepared for it. I had a small underground bunker built out back. Built up enough supplies to last a good twenty years. It has beds, water, food, weapons, medicine."

Daryl and Beth exchanged a look. _Could he be telling the truth? Was that even possible?_

"That where you been?" Daryl questioned some more. His face still deadly serious.

"What, whilst you've been making yourselves at home here? Eating my food, sleeping in my bed," Jeff remarked, raising an eyebrow.

Daryl continued to stare at him coldly, choosing not to respond, mentally going over a plan in his head to take the old guy out, should he need to, if things went wrong here. Daryl knew his reactions were fast, he could shoot the other guy in the head in a flash. From what Daryl could make out, the stranger didn't have a weapon he could easily access, and Daryl knew that he did, and he was fast and a good shot.

But before it came to that, Daryl wanted to be sure. Beth seemed to have made her mind up already, so Daryl needed to play along too.

"Yeah, I've been down there, some of the time. I prefer it there, it's peaceful. Away from the dead and the feral," Jeff eventually explained, speaking slowly. "The rest of the time, I'm out looking for newly dead to bring back here."

"You're still doing that? Bringing back dead people?" Beth asked.

Jeff shook his head. "In the early days it was easier, but now, there's just too many of them," he said quietly.

"It's madness," Daryl muttered.

"Rosie," Jeff suddenly exclaimed, as the little black and white cat Beth and Daryl had adopted, jumped up and in to his lap.

"Thought, I'd lost this one," he said, stroking her head and smiling.

"She belongs to you?' Beth asked.

"She belongs to herself," he replied. "The rest of her family, her mother and brothers and sisters are taking shelter down with me, but this one just kept disappearing. I named her Rosie, after my granddaughter, she was a real live-wire too," Jeff explained a sad smile appearing on his face.

"You're a special one, aren't you," the older man said, turning to look directly at the small cat on his lap, tickling her chin. The same cat Beth had named Lucky.

"Here, have some soup," Beth said, standing up to hand Daryl a cup. Trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

"Thanks," he said as he took it from her. Before tugging her gently on the elbow and gesturing with his head for her to follow him out the room.

He had been gone less than a day, and she seemed to have be-friended the first stranger that came her way. He wanted to know what the hell was going on!

"You trust him?" Daryl asked quietly and suspiciously, his eyes looking deeply in to hers, trying to work out after everything, why she seemed so calm with the sudden appearance of this old man.

"Yeah, he scared the life out of me at first, but he means us no harm," Beth replied directly, nodding her head.

"How can you be so sure?" Daryl asked, shaking his head, his hand still on her arm.

He wanted to trust Beth's instincts too, but he just couldn't, not straight away. If this world had taught him anything. It was to trust no-one. He was in two minds whether to match back in to the kitchen with a gun pointed straight at the old man's head, demanding to know what his intentions really were.

But Daryl wanted to give Beth the benefit of the doubt first. So, instead he remained stood in front of her, his deep blue eyes, searching her face.

"Don't look at me like that," Beth protested, frowning a little.

"Like what?" Daryl responded, in a low gruff voice.

"Like you think I'm a complete idiot," Beth whispered fiercely, glancing down at his grip on her arm.

"I don't think you're an idiot," Daryl mumbled, releasing his hold on her. "I just think we need to be sure we can trust him. That he really is who he says he is." Daryl continued.

"He is," Beth insisted, looking flustered. "He showed me photos, of him and his family, his grandkids. This used to be his business. Now he's left all on his own, he's doing the only thing he knows how."

Daryl looked away, thinking. He had always known that this day was looming. When the rightful owner of the property could return. It did seem the old guy was who he said he was. Daryl just wasn't sure what they were meant to do about it.

"You seen this bunker he's talking about?" he asked, his eyes back on Beth.

"Not yet. Daryl, I aint an idiot," Beth replied, arching her eyebrows and rolling her eyes a little. "I said I'd wait until you got back, before I went to any underground bunker with him."

"Okay," Daryl nodded again, satisfied.

Daryl's plan had always been to wait until whoever had been keeping this place up came back, to try and make it work with them, to negotiate for him and Beth to stay there. If he was honest, he'd always felt deep down, that was a little unrealistic, but he'd thought he had to try, if the opportunity should present itself.

"He's okay, Daryl….Besides, Lucks wouldn't go near him if he was bad, cat's got a sixth sense y'know," Beth added, smiling with a twinkle her eye.

….

"You decided yet?" Jeff said, without looking up from where he was still playing with the cat as Beth and Daryl walked back in to the kitchen. 'What you're going to do?" he added.

"This bunker of yours, you care to show us where it is?" Daryl asked, his voice calmer now.

Jeff looked up and over to them, about to say something, when he was overcome with a fit of coughing. He produced a hanky from his pocket, putting it to his mouth as he coughed and spluttered.

"You okay?" Beth asked, looking on in concern.

The older man waved his hand at her, as he withdrew the hanky, displaying it was stained in blood.

Beth looked to Daryl, to exchange an even more concerned look.

"Here you're going to need this," Jeff said, handing Daryl a piece of paper from his pocket.

"What's this?" Daryl mumbled, moving over to take it cautiously, glancing down in confusion. To see there was a sequence of numbers scribbled on it.

"The code to the bunker," Jeff said loudly, his eyes resting on Daryl's face.

Daryl looked up to meet the older man's eye.

"It's yours," Jeff said, "Your's and your girls," he explained, his lined mouth curling up in to a gentle smile, looking from Daryl to Beth.

"Seriously?" Beth asked in disbelief, her head spinning.

"I'm sick and getting sicker, I'm not long for this world. I want my hard work to have meant something, the things I have put in to place go to some good people, that deserve it. I don't want it all to just rot, or get in to the wrong hands," Jeff said, coughing some more.

"How d'you know you can trust us? That we're good?' Daryl questioned, his eyes narrowing.

"Same way you know you can trust me, and that I'm good," he replied, his eyes watering, still locked with Daryl's.

"I've been waiting for you for a while now. I know you'll make good use of this place, you're good people, you look out for each other, I can see that," Jeff continued, coughing even more.

"I'll get you some water," Beth said standing up, turning her back to the two men.

"You really are serious? There aint no-one else?" Daryl asked quietly and firmly, still trying to work the older man out.

"You have my word," the older man said.

"Everyone I've ever known is dead now. So, this is all yours. You just have to promise me, firstly you'll take good care of that girl," Jeff said, jerking his head in Beth's direction. "Because, you don't need me to tell you, she's gonna need protection in this world now."

Daryl didn't respond, he knew the older man wasn't done.

"And secondly….." Jeff said, leaning in to Daryl whispering something to him in a low voice.

Daryl's eyes narrowed, as he listened to what Jeff was saying to him.

"There you go," Beth said, turning around to hand Jeff some water.

"Thanks," he said, putting it to his lips and moving away from Daryl.

Beth's gaze moved away from Jeff and over to Daryl. Her lover, her protector. To see his face had softened. She trusted his judgement completely. If he believed in this guy, then she did too. When they had first arrived here and he had mentioned he felt they could build a life here. In part it had felt like a fairytale to Beth. The immaculate house, the two of them living together in it, as a couple, happy without the others.

_Now she was starting to believe it could be real!_

**A/N - Thanks for reading. I really think Beth and Daryl deserved a break and something good for once, (in this fanfiction world) so hope you liked it. Please leave a review if you can:) The idea for Jeff was based on an interview I read with Robert Kirkman, where he was asked who had owned the funeral home Beth and Daryl had found on the show. He said an old guy had lived there and was collecting the dead to bury them properly, but he had died, which is why it was empty when they got there!**


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